Mocking

What if the reason why media commentators STILL cannot admit their failures in the leadup to the Iraq War is that they all have something to hide: that is, close contact with government agents over many years? Operation Mockingbird gets mentioned a lot these days in the comments threads. What do people THINK happened to that program?

In February 1976, George H. W. Bush, the recently appointed Director of the CIA announced a new policy: "Effective immediately, the CIA will not enter into any paid or contract relationship with any full-time or part-time news correspondent accredited by any U.S. news service, newspaper, periodical, radio or television network or station." However, he added that the CIA would continue to "welcome" the voluntary, unpaid cooperation of journalists.

Of course there's no need to get paid by the CIA when Bush's friends in the press will push you to the top of the career ladder, and keep you there no matter what happens.