It’s hard to exaggerate how much damage the Washington Post does when it trades its credibility for right-wing shillery. The problem is that the Post maintains a residual credibility even when it drops even the most minimum standards of journalism in favor of providing cover for Dick Cheney and his merry band of torturers. After all, if the Post isn’t credible, who is? Certainly not the Moonie-owned Washington Times. Certainly not the Politico.
It was shocking to watch the Post turn into a right-wing outlet in the aftermath of 9/11. But that is what they have become. The New York Times made some of the same mistakes in publishing William Safire, Judy Miller, and Michael Gordon. But the Times’ editorial page retained their integrity.
The Washington Post cannot be trusted in any facet of their product. Their editorial page is dishonest. Their opinion page is filled with one right-wing hack after another. And now their journalists are justifying torture based on anonymous sources without any sourced facts whatsoever.
This is far more dangerous than the Glenn Becks of the world because if the Post prints it on the front-page, it is presumed to be true by the rest of the political commentariat. And politicians will act accordingly. How do we get a decent newspaper in the capital?