by TChris

The president should be embarrassed by his administration's efforts to disguise political propaganda as news. Instead, he's proud, and he doesn't intend to change the practice.

President Bush says that one of the Justice Department lawyers has produced a legal opinion that supports his view (are you surprised?): the law permits the administration to package information as a news story, complete with fake journalists, ready to be aired on local news broadcasts. People who don't work for the president disagree.

David Walker, the comptroller general who heads the GAO, said he disagreed with Bush's stance and was "disappointed by the administration's actions."

"This is not just a legal issue, it's also an ethical matter," Walker said. "The taxpayers have a right to know when the government is trying to influence them with their own money."

Bump and Update: Say hello to Stop Fake News, brought to you by Start Change, the same folks who began Stop Sinclair. They are seeking an FCC investigation into President Bush's use of fake news. Turns out, there are at least two laws or regulations that may have been violated:

• 47 U.S.C. 317, the Radio Act, prohibits broadcast stations from airing government-produced programming without proper disclosure.

• 31 U.S.C. 1341, Pub. L. No. 108-199, prohibits the use of public funds for creating and distributing partisan propaganda.

Join their sign-on letter here.

Newsweek has Mark Geragos' first interview about his client Scott Peterson since his conviction. And yes, he does believe Scott is "stone cold innocent." Best line,

What was it like to represent the most reviled defendant in America?

At least O.J. had his constituency.

Geragos makes a point we often make here: Guilt sells in America. As I pointed out the day of the death verdict in the Peterson case, (see comments):

This case has been driven by a total lynch mob mentality since day one. Guilt sells in America.

A judge today ordered three websites to comply with a subpoena by Apple Computer and turn over information about their confidential sources in the Think Secret case.

"Unlike the whistleblower who discloses a health, safety or welfare hazard affecting all, or the government employee who reveals mismanagement or worse by our public officials, (the enthusiast sites) are doing nothing more than feeding the public's insatiable desire for information," Kleinberg wrote.

In the ruling, the judge largely brushed off the question of whether the publishers were journalists and therefore protected from facing contempt charges for refusing to divulge sources under California's shield law. "Defining what is a 'journalist' has become more complicated as the variety of media has expanded," he said. "But even if the movants are journalists, this is not the equivalent of a free pass."

April 10, columnist Frank Rich will return to the op-ed pages of the New York Times:

In a surprise announcement, The New York Times said today that Frank Rich, associate editor and Sunday Arts & Leisure columnist, will be returning to the op-ed pages as a columnist on April 10.

"We're thrilled to welcome back Frank, whose distinct writing style and broad range of experience as a theater critic and observer of art, entertainment and politics, will be a great asset to the expanded Sunday Op-Ed," said Gail Collins, editorial page editor, in a statement. "Our new, two-page Op-Ed section in the Sunday paper will give our readers what they have been requesting: more opinion pieces.

That's excellent news, we always read Frank Rich. So does Avedon Carol of <a href="Sideshow and TBogg.

Rolling Stone has published a 35 year commemorative issue dedicated to gonzo journalist Hunter Thompson.

Great photos, great articles, with excerpts of several online for free.

Here's some background on how the issue was put together. Don't tell Mayor Bloomberg.

Are reporters' shield law protections weakening? It does seem that more reporters are being held in contempt lately.

In a trend that is making the news media nervous, a small but growing number of reporters are ensnared in the legal system for defying judicial demands to disclose where they got their information. At least 16 reporters and 14 news organizations are involved in legal fights in courthouses from New York and Washington to San Francisco.

Fighting the good fight for reporters is Reporters Committee for a Free Press. They keep an updated page on reporters receiving federal subpoenas here. If you want to get involved, sign the Petition. The organization also tracks pending legislation to create a federal shield law.

Dan Rather gave his last CBS evening news broadcast tonight. Crooks and Liars has the video. Here's the text of what he said:

We have shared a lot in the 24 years we've been meeting here each evening. And before I say good night this night, I need to say thank you. Thank you to the thousands of wonderful professionals at CBS News, past and present, with whom it has been my honor to work over these years.

"And a deeply felt thank you to all of you, who have let us in to your homes night after night. It has been a privilege and one never taken lightly.

"Not long after I first came to the anchor chair I briefly signed off using the word 'courage.' I want to return to it now, in a different way, to a nation still nursing a broken heart for what happened here in 2001, and especially to those who found themselves closest to the events of September 11th.

Danny Schecter of Media Channel has an op-ed at Common Dreams that contains the appeal of the newspaper Il Manifesto for the release of journalist Giuliana Sgrena.

" We ask of the men who have taken hostage our colleague, Giuliana Sgrena, that they release her, not just as an act of generosity and of mercy, but because Giuliana has always been a journalist who has struggled for peace, and an ally of the Iraqi people. Her articles for “Il Manifesto” have always expressed her opposition to the war and to the occupation of Iraq by the Americans and by the international coalition supporting them. Keeping her prisoner or harming her would further damage the cause of Iraq and of the Iraqis in the eyes of the world, fueling the arguments of those who want to impose “democracy” or “freedom” on the Arab-Moslem world through war and violence.

Crooks and Liars has the video up of Chris Rock's opening monolgue at the Oscars. Transcript here. Read the parts about Bush, they were good.

Hillary Swank looks like she put her dress on backwards. It's up to her throat in the front and down to her a** in the back.

Halle Berry looks perfect. Goregous dress and simple hair and makeup.

Kate Blanchett looks great in yellow, really nice dress.

Leonard DiCaprio in Prada, good choice. Salma Hayak too, excellent.

Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayak both looked beautiful presenting together. Cruz was in Oscar de la Renta yellow, Hayak in black Prada.

Feel free to chime in here.

Update: The Oscars are starting. You can live blog in the comments if you'd like. Things to talk about: Chris Rock, the speeches, the performances...I've started a separate thread for the fashion.

Chris Rock: Very non-offensive, likable, occasionally funny. Pulls off praising Fahrenheit 9/11 while giving Bush and the war a friendly hit. Then sends out good wishes to the fighting troops. May be a quiet night.

Best Supporting Actor: Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby. His first award. Gracious short speech.

Robin Williams: Great impersonations, particularly of Brando and Nicholson. He starts off with white tape over his mouth to acknowledge how he'd been gagged.