While We Were Busy, ...

Over the last ten days, news of the state of the U.S. economy has rocked America. As the scale of the problem began to sink in, Americans paid close attention to the news and made a quick study of economics. They watched as Paulsen, Cox, Lockhart, and Bernanke laid out a proposal for a solution. They heard President Bush's frightening, urgent plea for action. They asked how such a thing could happen, and why they should have to pay. They watched as Congress argued over the best rescue option. They listened to reports, opinions, and political rhetoric. They saw how the presidential candidates handled the news. Their eyes and ears absorbed the scope of assuming $700 billion more in national debt. They sat at their kitchen tables to take a good hard look at their own budgets. And while they were busy, other news slipped quietly under the radar. The world had not stopped spinning.

The stage had been carefully set. On a Friday morning, less than 45 days before a milestone election, the Bush administration announced the Wall Street meltdown. In spite of repeated assurances that the economy was fundamentally strong, and Phil Gramm's dismissal of economic concerns as "mental recession," an economic downturn had been allowed to deteriorate. After having met for weeks with federal financial advisors, Bush's grim and sobering address painted a grim picture of impending doom. He urged quick action and warned of the terrible risk of inaction. Financial gurus testified that the problem was too big to be allowed to fail. Congress gathered, questioned, deliberated, and compromised. With just one week left before recess, Congressional tensions mounted. Tempers flared. The nation's attention was riveted on saving America from the next Great Depression.

While we were busy, news about Iraq was quietly released to the media. After Prime Minister Malaki requested a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, negotiations had begun. The Bush administration proposed delaying troop withdrawal for another year. After all, there was a U.S. domestic situation, the 2008 Presidential campaign and election. They agreed that U.S. troops would not come home in 2010. Troops will stay in Iraq until 2011. (Jedreport.com)

At the cost of $10 billion per month, another $120 billion dollars for the Iraq War will be added to the national debt. More lives will be lost; more young Americans will be maimed. The main stream media barely mentions it. There is no discussion, no explanation, no debate. There is no outrage. The economy has taken over America's attention; it's become the primary concern. The Iraq War is on the back burner.

Another bit of news was outweighed by last week's economic news. U.S. intelligent experts are putting the final touches on a secret National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Afghanistan. A draft being circulated in Washington paints a "grim" picture of the situation. Last week, Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified to Congress that the U.S. is "running out of time" in Afghanistan and that he is "not convinced we are winning." In the next few weeks, the damming NIE will be sent to the White House and other policy makers. But there are "no plans" to declassify the report until after the U.S. election. (CrooksandLiars.com)

Just imagine the level of media attention this news would cause if there were no economic crisis. These news releases about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would fill every headline and every lead story. But, while we were busy, there was little or no press, no discussion, no nothing.

For all the complaints about "the media," the Bush administration is expert in using the media to manipulate the news. They control not only what information is released but when and how it is released to the American people. Presently, the distraction by phenomenon tactic provides great cover to bad news. When the White House distracts Americans by occupying their thoughts, emotions, and the news with another event, it takes their attention away from unpopular, unflattering, or unpleasant news. In this case, the upset and worry, the scarey and catastrophic predictions, the sense of urgency, all created emotional reactions that distracted attention. When media outlets are consumed with covering the last weeks of the election process and a huge economic crisis, it provides the administration cover to release bad news. Like a stealth bomber (or a silent fart), bad news is released without detection.

The timing of the economic crisis works for very well for Bush, McCain, and the Republican party. As the White House occupies the public's attention, the bad news about the wars escapes unnoticed. Bush and McCain avoid blame for their positions on the wars and responsibility for the economy. The Republicans get to stage a big show to separate themselves from Bush's record. McCain interrupts his campaign's failing poll numbers, poor VP pick, lobbyist scandals, and numerous gaffes and missteps to rush to Washington to "save the day." All avoid scrutiny of their roles in deregulation and war policies. McCain hopes to position himself as a leader. He takes advantage of network interviews and photo ops. He avoids questions about Iraq and Afghanistan within weeks of Election Day. Bush escapes criticism, responsibility, and questioning for his latest failures.

As I see it, it's a win, win, win for the red team, and the American people are left holding the bag.