Looking for Something to Kvetch About, MSM Settles for 'Slow Evacuation'

It's been a tough week for the MSM. You just know they'd like to find a way to spin events in Lebanon and Israel for purposes of criticizing the Bush administration. But one senses they've had a tough time getting traction. Even for our liberal media heroes, making common cause with Hezbollah might be a bridge too far.

When the MSM is reduced to fixating on a mild four-letter word the president let fly, and to second-guessing tactics - as opposed to goals - you know the media's Bush-bashing cupboard is alarmingly bare.

The last best hope for the MSM seemed to be the alleged slowness of the evacuation of Americans in Lebanon. There was Tucker Carlson accusing Israel of 'doing nothing' to help stranded Americans. And the MSM widely reported the number of Americans in Lebanon at 25,000, downplaying the fact that the great majority have dual Lebanese citizenship and are not looking to leave. The actual number of those wishing to get out is apparently in the 5-8,000 range.

By the way: when it comes to American and Israeli concern for Americans in Lebanon, does the MSM think it's a coincidence that, as of last report, no American has been killed in the fighting? Isn't this likely the result of careful coordination between the governments as to the location of Americans and the precise targeting of attacks?

Even on their remaining front - the slow evacuation - the MSM suffered a major blow overnight, with news that Americans are being evacuated by the thousands.

But that didn't prevent Harry Smith and the Early Show from giving it the old college try this morning. Here's how Smith opened the story: "Let's get right to our top story this morning, the crisis in the Middle East. Here's the latest. The first major evacuation of Americans is finally under way in Lebanon."

Smith then brought in CBS correspondent Lee Cowan, who reported from Beirut that

"A lot of Americans are expressing frustration as to why this all took so long. Thousands of Americans in Beirut are trying to flee the war zone. But the process is slow, hot and frustrating."

CBS then rolled a clip of a dissatisfied young American fellow:

"Very disorganized. We got on the boat around 4:30 in Beirut and it was a long time. We were sleeping on the deck all night in wet conditions and no food. So could have gone better."

Gee, an evacuation from a war zone that wasn't perfectly organized and catered? But things went so well in Dunkirk in 1940!

Another MSM line of criticism has been to attack the administration for charging Americans for the cost of evacuation. But the media have generally been derelict in reporting that this was not the result of some mean-spirited Bush administration decision, but merely the implementation of a law adopted by Congress in 1956 and re-enacted in 2003 calling for evacuations to be 'reimbursable.'

In any case, whereas CBS' Cowan was still reporting this morning that the evacuations would come 'all at [the Americans'] own expense', an article from yesterday, Government Will Foot the Bill, reported that Sec. of State Rice had decided to waive the charges.

Hat tip to the first NewsBuster reader to spot an MSMer comparing the evacuation to the Bush administration's handling of Katrina!

Update: Hat tip to poster DaBird for spotting this comment in a Daily News article from Harry Reid [of the elected-official wing of the MSM]: "This is being treated like a mini-Katrina," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. "These people are just being stranded in Lebanon."

Finkelstein lives in the liberal haven of Ithaca, NY, where he hosts the award-winning public-access TV show 'Right Angle.' Contact him at mark@gunhill.net