Death of the Fourth Estate

I don’t even have words for this outrage.

Is this video documenting the death of the Fourth Estate?  Via a “public assassination” no less….

(video courtesy of John Aravosis)

Transparency?

The most open White House ever?

The really frightening thing about this is the blatant contempt this demonstrates for the Fourth Estate.  Say what you will about our press, but “the press” — if you’ll pardon the sweeping generalization in this time of partisan journalism — is our watch dog, our first line of defense.

Politicians are more apt to act in honest and honorable (please don’t laugh) ways with the ever present eye of the press peering over their shoulder.

The press is the average citizen’s window into the wider world.  The actions recorded in this video demonstrate, with concrete certainty, that the public no longer has the right to know what goes on at the “People’s House.”  Or in this case in front of the People’s House.

There hasn’t been a president to occupy the White House in my entire adult life that hasn’t made me angry over some “this or that,” but NEVER have I feared the man who held the office.  I never feared that they didn’t have the best interest of the country at heart, even if they were occasionally “misguided idiots”.  Some more often than others to be sure.  Tonight, however, as I watched that video, I was… fearful.

The current administration doesn’t give a flying [expletive deleted] about what “we” think, and they don’t give a flying [expletive deleted] that we know they don’t.  In fact, one could posit that this was a calculated demonstration: The gloves are off and this is no longer the America “of record.”

After all, as expressed on the video: It’s one thing to chase off “the public,” but it’s something entirely different to chase off the press.  In order to do THAT, there has to be a really, really, really extraordinary reason.  An extraordinary reason that is generally accepted as being extraordinary and the reasons for the extraordinary nature clearly defined… and stated openly for any and all to hear [or read].

The only thing I’m holding out hope for is that there is an extraordinary reason for the actions documented in this video.  It’s not a great deal of hope, but perhaps… just perhaps… there is a valid reason.  The rational grown up in me says there isn’t, but the naive idealist says there MUST be.  PLEASE LET THERE BE.