I don’t have access to all the information so I pose the notion in the form of a question in my blog entry’s subject heading. But over the weekend, I’d read about the “scandal” (the quotes surrounding “scandal” are germane, here) revolving about the World Bank President, an American (also germane) named Paul Wolfowitz, who was appointed by President George Bush (alas, also germane) in mid-2005. After reading the story, I thought as everyone did, and as everyone was supposed to, that as a result of the “facts” that were being reported, Wolfowitz would have to resign as World Bank President. He was corrupt.
There were stories in the Globe and Mail about it and here’s a clue: it has a sub-heading called “Wolfowitz Scandal” and it starts like this:
Paul Wolfowitz, the divisive U.S. neo-conservative who heads the World Bank, has rebuffed calls to quit over revelations that he arranged a rich, six-figure pay deal and promotion for his girlfriend.
There was the huge story in the Vancouver Sun on Saturday (now strangely removed from existence in their digital edition, but here’s a scan of it):
It was also in the National Post on Saturday, and again today in a story which reiterated most of it but also acknowledged a tidbit of extra information at the end, without giving it much credence at all—in fact spinning it to suit what appears to be a pre-conceived mantra.
That extra information is best explained in this short editorial article which I read in the Wall Street Journal’s Opinionjournal.com this morning. It’s called “The Wolfowitz Files – The anatomy of a World Bank smear”.
It’s definitely worth a read because you’ll be hearing more about the “embattled” Paul Wolfowitz “scandal” in the days ahead. And if nothing else, it reminds us to be very wary of the media, what they report, what they don’t report, and how they report it. And as always, it reminds us of the necessity to question whether there’s an agenda driving the reportage in the liberal media. (To save you some time, if you do question whether there’s an agenda being driven, the answer is YES.)
Here’s the opening of the Opinionjournal.com piece:
The anatomy of a World Bank smear.
Monday, April 16, 2007 12:01 a.m. EDT
The World Bank released its files in the case of President Paul Wolfowitz’s ethics on Friday, and what a revealing download it is. On the evidence in these 109 pages, it is clearer than ever that this flap is a political hit based on highly selective leaks to a willfully gullible press corps. …
By the way, did you know that Mike Nifong of the infamous, phony, politically-motivated Duke Lacrosse rape charges fame, was running as a Democrat? Bet you didn’t. But Wolfowitz is “the divisive U.S. neo-conservative”. Interesting. But make no mistake: there is no media bias. Nope. None. So don’t worry about what you read. No.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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