Link 1: http://www.slate.com/id/2139609/?nav/fo/
Link 2: http://www.slate.com/id/2140058/fr/rss/
Christopher Hitchens is, apparently, the last person in the entire world who is actually practicing journalism.
The mainstream media apparently think “investigative journalism” is turning on their TV, seeing what the other channels are saying, and then paraphrasing it.
A senior Iraqi diplomat, with a focus on nuclear issues, goes to Niger, a major exporter of uranium. The Bush administration is informed of this via European intelligence agencies, and considers this an indication of Iraq's desire to purchase uranium. Joe Wilson goes to Niger, and decides that nothing is amiss, and there's no need to even mention the visit by this Iraqi diplomat.
And all we hear is how Bush broke the law in an attempt to punish Joe Wilson for just doing his duty to America, and to the truth.
Somehow, it comes to Christopher Fucking Hitchens, a guy who is basically an editorialist, to go find out that this Iraqi diplomat visited Niger. That's what it's come to. A middle aged British guy, who writes op-ed pieces for a relatively obscure online magazine, has greater research capability than all the major media outlets.
The media's complicity in this whole thing is as obvious as it is inexcusable. I should not have to watch Chris Matthews and John Kerry jerk each other off, all based on the unfounded assertion that the leak of Valerie Plame's identity was illegal. Show us the law that was broken, or stop making the claim. I should not have to watch the mainstream media treat Joe Wilson like a beleaguered hero, when it's simple fact that he's incompetent at best, and quite possibly a traitor at worst. Tell the real story of what this man did, how his wife was complicit in it, and stop running interferance for him.
So, watch the media pick up Hitchens' story, and cover it with as much fervor as they did when they thought Bush might be in trouble. See if it happens.
It won't.