L'Affarie Froomkin -- Freedom of the Press on Life Support?

For many months now, I have viewed the Bush nightmare as a near miss with fascism.  That may have been optimistic ... or at least overly simplistic.

Maybe I'm naive, but I was flabbergasted at the following quote from Leonard Downie via E&P.  http://www.editorandpublisher.com/...

"We want to make sure people in the [Bush] administration know that our news coverage by White House reporters is separate from what appears in Froomkin's column because it contains opinion," Downie told E&P.

As Josh points out, the Bush administration knows perfectly well that the WaPo's news coverage is separate from Froomkin.  The only possible translation of Downie's comment is that the WaPo news reporters want to publicly distance themselves from Froomkin as, what could charitably be called a gesture of good faith directed at the White House.  Less charitably, and more accurately, this is a signal to the White House that the news reporters are committed to playing by Rove's rules.

And, of course, one can safely assume that if the WaPo says, "How high, sir!" when Rove says to jump, then 90% of the media is in the same boat.  The problem with this sort of dynamic is that it will tend to reinforce itself, and not just for the next three years.  The press has declared itself willing to be subservient to the White House.  What earthly reason is there to think that the next occupant of the White House will reverse course?  Perhaps if its Russ Feingold ... but, barring that, its a pretty fair bet that the next White House will pick up where Rove leaves off.  That's not a knock on them.  The White House will always have a proclivity toward bullying the press.  What keeps this tendency in check ... or HAS kept this tendency in check is the certainty that unrestrained bullying will backfire.  Well, you can say goodbye to all that.  God, do I hate George Bush.