When the evening news broadcasts Rumsfeld's testimony to Congress--which I've been watching just now--don't expect to see a whole lot of Rumsfeld.

Expect to see overwhelming coverage of the dozen-or-so-people who started shouting "War crimes! War crimes!" when Rumsfeld paused to deliver the second part of his address.

They weren't hustled out of there nearly fast enough to suit me, though they were probably escorted out within a minute.

It'll look like five.

I abhor the protest ethic. I abhor behavior like that. I don't support pro-lifers who stand outside abortion clinics shouting "baby killers!" and I don't support anti-war people who scream at a man who's trying to acknowledge his failures.

Enough about them. You'll get your fill of them over the next few days, and if they don't make the cover of at least one national news magazine, I'll be stunned.

Right now I'm also stunned at Rumsfeld's revelation that they had uncovered, not just new photos, but videos.

Christ almighty.

I appreciate Rumsfeld's statement that the aftermath of this scandal will let the world "see how a democracy" deals with "the evil in our midst." But you know what I didn't hear?

An apology to the President.

He did acknowledge that he "failed to elevate" the matter.

But he also said he "only wished [he] could have" shown the photos to the President. Which begs a question:

Why couldn't he have?

I guess that's what we'll find out.

Right after we debate whether the presence of a dozen loudmouths seals the Iraq=Vietnam deal once and for all, of course.

I hate the news.

I'm not really much of a newsblogger. I suggest you head over to the Command Post if you want more. Not seeing anything up there just at the moment, but there will be.

UPDATE: I told you they'd be all over it.

Posted by Ilyka at May 7, 2004 05:30 PM in news