How Could Good News from Iraq Make So Many Bad Headlines?

June 9th, 2006 11:50 AM

If the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi were "good" news, it's hard to imagine how the media could report much worse for "bad" news in Iraq.

Pretend Pundit has a good roundup of media headlines.

One day after the killing of Al-Zarqawi, it's business-as-usual for the Drive-by Media. The Washington Post even ran a poll reminding us that we all think Iraq sucks.

If I'm a Democratic strategist, I couldn't be happier. Here are this morning's top headlines:

CNN: Al-Zarqawi is dead, violence continues
CNN: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was alive when U.S. troops first reached him after the airstrike on his safe house, a U.S. general said, according to news reports. Of course, there's got to be controversy. What did Rumsfeld know and when did he know it?

MSNBC: Al-Zarqawi’s legacy?
MSNBC: ‘Most logical’ successor
MSNBC: Poll: Many support troops, not war

ABC: Al-Zarqawi's Death: A Violent Prelude? A rash of bombings in Baghdad showed that insurgency in Iraq will not end with the al Qaeda leader's death.

CBS: Violence Persists After Zarqawi

NYT: Hatred He Bred Is Sure to Survive Terrorist's Death: "While Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death could erode his group's ability to carry out attacks, the insurgency he helped ignite will go on without him ...according to officials." (I love when journalists do that)

WP: No clear path in weary Iraq
WP: Corpse makes a chilling portrait

I give NPR credit, though. They reported news. NPR: Weeks of Surveillance Led to Attack on Zarqawi: The final phase of the hunt for Zarqawi began weeks ago, set off by tips from his own aides.
NPR: Hideout a Wealth of Information
NPR: Zarqawi's Bloody Legacy