Why Oh Why Can't We Have a Better Press Corps? (Shut Up or We'll Kill Your Development Bank! Department)

The Washington Post "argues" that critics of Paul Wolfowitz as World Bank President should be quiet. Why? Because "the World Bank is necessary.... People who care about this institution and its mission -- as many of Mr. Wolfowitz's detractors do -- should think carefully before they damage it by attacking its new boss."

No argument that Paul Wolfowitz is the best candidate for World Bank President. No argument that he is even a good candidate. No argument that he is either minimally qualified--in his understanding of development, in his understanding of international finance, or in his ability to manage a large bureaucracy.

Pathetic. Contemptible.

washingtonpost.com: Mr. Wolfowitz and the Bank: THE WORLD Bank's board will meet today and will almost certainly confirm the nomination of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz as its new president. The initial expressions of shock from Europe have proved unserious and, in some cases, even hypocritical.... Imposing a particular deputy on Mr. Wolfowitz is not going to help. It will push the World Bank toward the nationality-driven hiring that is the bane of United Nations agencies.... It's true that the No. 2 at the International Monetary Fund, who is always an American, does boost U.S. clout within the World Bank's sister institution....

Mr. Wolfowitz's critics, domestic as well as international, should now get beyond their dislike of his role in the Iraq war.... [T]he institution will have a hard time facing down the inevitable attacks on its decision if it is simultaneously having to defend itself against critics who dislike its new president.

Most people agree that the World Bank is necessary. There are few competent organizations that can help manage the challenges of globalization.... The World Bank brings big financial and intellectual resources to all of these challenges; it provides around $20 billion a year to developing countries and houses the largest concentration of development thinkers anywhere. People who care about this institution and its mission -- as many of Mr. Wolfowitz's detractors do -- should think carefully before they damage it by attacking its new boss...

Comments

[charles]

We're DEFENDING the World Bank by attacking its new boss. I guess that's too hard for WaPo to figure out.

Charles

[pgl]

If the WaPo thinks the World Bank is important - I agree. Which is the BEST reason to appoint someone more qualified than Paul Wolfowitz. I'm wondering if Lawrence Kudlow is serving as their new editor?

[judy]

And that's an example of WaPost deterioration that caused me to cancel my subscription recently! I don't think Kay Graham would be happy with its editorial direction. I recommend others likewise cancel. You can still read it online.

[Movie Guy]

So, the World Bank is a church.

[Movie Guy]

So...the World Bank is a church.

[Steady Eddie]

This kind of comment is precisely on a par with how the Bush Administration started -- with "Justice" Scalia opining that Bush deserved an injunction against further recounting of Florida votes on the grounds that uncertainty about the genuine results of the election would do "irreparable harm" to Bush's interest in sustaining the impression that he had already won.

[Curious]

I think there is a big intercontinental mud slinging that we see. The Post is nothing but one mud being slinged.

The problem, I don't read enough european newspaper to know what the big boys over there are tossing.

Usually news like this is not for general public, but the voting elite. The people who has a say if wolfowitz can be WB pres or not.

Anybody watching?

[dogfacegeorge]

See, there you go again. Don't you realize that by criticizing this article you are damaging the WaPo as an institution, an institution that is an important pillar of our nation's freedom of the press? What's wrong with you?

[Anna]

Fascinating.
I followed the link hoping to find the name of this new Payola Pundit, but the piece was unsigned.
Is there any way we can find out who wrote it? or, better yet, who dictated its substance? This is how we're going to uncover them.

[Marshall]

I actually am glad of Wolfowitz's appointment precisely because as a liberal I detest the World Bank. That organization has no idea what it's doing--in fact, democracy exists in the developing world despite, not because of, its influence, and those countries who have avoided its hypocrisy are the best off among the poor. Wolfowitz will only serve to artificially respirate the outdated policies that were on the way out the door, and the world bank's widening credibility gap will marginalize it from the development debate. I look forward to its funeral.

[Bragan]

Most likely Fred Hiatt himself was the author, though it also smells of Paul Samuelson.

[Ken]

>> Don't you realize that by criticizing this article you
>>are damaging the WaPo as an institution, an institution
>>that is an important pillar of our nation's freedom of
>>the press? What's wrong with you?

Right. Why do you hate America?

It's funny, in a way; the Washington Compost (now I finally agree with the appellation) carrier simply can't seem to fathom that I have cancelled my subscription. I actually did so because I'm in Texas until July, but now, I think there's serious doubt that I will renew when I get home. So it's funny that I received another bill in yesterday's mail.

[Rev. Howard Furst]

I suppose it didn't occur to them to notice that the U.N. is also an important institution so that people shouldn't try to undermine Kofi Annan.

[Mike]

...Sigh

Well, Bush/Cheney went to D.C. promising to 'change the culture'. And sure enough, 'official' Washington REALLY IS little more than a bottomless pit of incompetence, deceit, hypocrisy and corruption these days....

--------

Education chief calls teachers union 'terrorist organization'

By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY

2/23/2004

WASHINGTON — Education Secretary Rod Paige called the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union, "a terrorist organization" during a private meeting with governors Monday...

...Paige released a statement later Monday saying he had used "an inappropriate choice of words." He called teachers "the real soldiers of democracy" but criticized the union's "obstructionist scare tactics..."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-02-23-paige-remarks_x.htm

--------

...Where WERE those people educated?

[Abby]

A long time ago, right when David Frum took over his blogging gig at National Review, post Jayson Blair I saw a column where he decried the New York Times and that he hadn't trusted their accuracy for a long time. He said he found himself checking all of their stories in the Washington Post, because the Washington Post, although it was still left-of center was *fair*. I haven't trusted the Post's coverage of anything much since.

[Right Thinking American]

This is the last of a long series of Post editorials and, yes, news articles about Wolfowitz that have appeared since his nomination was announced. The short version of the initial Post editorial, the day after the announcement, essentially boiled down to: Don't hate him because he's a neocon. Only ignorant people hate neocons.

It's nuts.

[Ken]

>>And sure enough, 'official' Washington REALLY IS little
>>more than a bottomless pit of incompetence, deceit,
>>hypocrisy and corruption these days....

Oh, but that's the fault and legacy of the Clenis(tm). The Son of Poppy and His holy ministers are pure as the driven snow.

[J2]

publice enemy

"yea, see, nobody move. If anybody speaks, theres gonna be trouble, if you do what your told nobody gets shot."

[Auros]

Haven't you heard? Dissent is Treason!

[J2]

public enemy

"Yea, See, nobody move. If anybody speaks, theres gonna be trouble, if you do what your told nobody gets hurt."

[Mike]

>>The Son of Poppy and His holy ministers
>>are pure as the driven snow.

Did you get that directly from a Presidential Commission, PNAC and/or Pat Roberts, Ken?

(Or do I have to take YOUR word for it <];?)

[moab]

So, by this logic, the critics of Clinton, including most of the press, undermined the entire American government by attacking him. Hmmm...

But since when did attacking a leader for good reason undermine the reputation of organization he leads? He is just simply a poor candidate for just about any leadership position as demonstrated by his record in managing the Iraq war planning.

[lise]

Rev. Howard Furst

I suppose it didn't occur to them to notice that the U.N. is also an important institution so that people shouldn't try to undermine Kofi Annan.

I agree, we do need to support the United Nations, but Kofi Annan needed to have more of a sense of responsibility to the integrity of the UN. I am disappointed here.

[cheque]

I agree that it's an awful editorial, but you really should have included the last 2 sentences.

"Criticism of Mr. Wolfowitz's agenda for the bank may be healthy once that agenda emerges. But preemptive condemnation because of the Iraq war is not. "

[Lisa]

Jeffrey Sachs should be WB President.

[liberal]

I subscribe to the hardcopy edition (live in DC metro area).

And I'm not cancelling. Why not?

I'll grant that the _Post_ op-ed section is, taken in its entirety, despicable.

But looked at in terms of the Iraq invasion, the _Post_ was bad editorially, but had better much coverage than the _New York Times_. (Meaning, they actually looked into things like the aluminum tubes issue, instead of listening to Judith Miller. Yeah, I know, the standard is set pretty low in my example.)

Oftentimes _Post_ news reporting disappoints, and its business section is very weak (too fluffy), but I think for national news coverage it's better than the _NY Times_.

Yeah, I know, the soft bigotry of low expectations...

Though it's quite a bit cheaper than the NYT...

;-)

[Africa]

As someone born in a small "third world" country, institutions like the World Bank and USAID are almost universally distrusted and resented by the citizens of these struggling nations.

Monies are poorly-spent, often embezzled, and used mainly as an instrument of political control by the U.S. and the dictators we prop up.

[liberal]

cheque quoted, " 'But preemptive condemnation because of the Iraq war is not.' "

LOL!

The guy has to be one of most idiotic, incompetent people on the planet, and they think that "preemptive" condemnation is inappropriate?

[Mike]

Let me break this thing down for you gang:

Paul Wolfowitz IS and WAS a card-carrying member of the hard-line 'Likudnik' faction of the neoconservative 'movement' which (via 'good ol' boy' corporate media LIKE the Washington Post) 'sold' the the war in Iraq to rest of us 'morons'.

And ANYBODY who DARES to notice (or even 'wonder out loud' about) the 'connections' between HIM (and/or them) AND the people who published, produced and/or edited any and/or all of THAT trash is simply antiSemitic.

It really is that simple. In America. These days...

[Ken]

>>Did you get that directly from a Presidential
>>Commission, PNAC and/or Pat Roberts, Ken?

Unfortunately, I have otherwise intelligent friends who pretty much feel that way. One guy is the gentlest soul on earth, but he almost literally thinks that under Clinton's Guccis are cloven hooves. Clinton's the very Prince of Darkness and the Son of Poppy is all sweetness and light.

[Troutski]

I like it when they include a conclusion in the premis:

"Most people agree that the World Bank is necessary. There are few competent organizations that can help manage the challenges of globalization"

FYI WaPo, MOST people think globalization has hurt the average person for the benefit of a few lucky CEO's, you morons.

[dogfacegeorge]

I see: Preemptive war -- OK. Preemptive criticism -- not OK.

[J2]

Book:
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
by John Perkins
Amazon.com Review:
"Perkins writes that his economic projections cooked the books Enron-style to convince foreign governments to accept billions of dollars of loans from the World Bank and other institutions to build dams, airports, electric grids, and other infrastructure he knew they couldn't afford. The loans were given on condition that construction and engineering contracts went to U.S. companies. Often, the money would simply be transferred from one bank account in Washington, D.C., to another one in New York or San Francisco. The deals were smoothed over with bribes for foreign officials, but it was the taxpayers in the foreign countries who had to pay back the loans. When their governments couldn't do so, as was often the case, the U.S. or its henchmen at the World Bank or International Monetary Fund would step in and essentially place the country in trusteeship, dictating everything from its spending budget to security agreements and even its United Nations votes."

[TheCat]

To paraphrase:

"People who care about the right of a free press to express criticism of those in power -- as many people at the Washington Post do -- should think carefully before they damage that right by attacking those exercise it...'

[TheCat]

sorry, that should be "those WHO exercise it..."

I type fast when infuriated....

[Dave]

Nationality driven hiring? Wait a minute. Isn't Wolfowitz's appointment nationality driven?????

For crying out loud.

[informis]

"Is there any way we can find out who wrote it? or, better yet, who dictated its substance?"

I did some research and found that the piece was written by a gentleman named "Raul Polfowitz."

[Beige]

The WaPo article contained some deplorable sentences, but this (from the Guardian of all places) was straight-up egregious:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1449301,00.html

What Wolfowitz will bring to the Bank is anybody's guess. If this is anything to go on, though, he may well be looking to open up yet another warzone:

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/ab4dd2a0-a0b8-11d9-a3ba-00000e2511c8.html

Although the Board's statement says that the confirmation of Wolfowitz was by consensus, apparently this is not completely true. Sources on the Board indicate that a group of developing nations did try to put up some resistance, but ultimately not enough to make any real difference (either in the selection process or in their prospects for future WB disbursements).

[Hedley Lamarr]

It is as Somerby says: These powdered mandarins socialize with the turds in the "administration."
They will not disagree with them.

[swamp thing]

I can't figure out if the editorial board at the Washington Post is corrupt, or just plain stupid. Apparently they think the peasantry should hold our tongues and be supportive of whoever is appointed to whatever post. Ain't democracy fun?

[Dubblblind]

The Post's position makes perfect sense when taken in the proper context. Remember we have the MBA president who has done a good job of blurring the line between government and big biz. The Post is merely being a "team player" and team players never, ever criticize their lords and masters. Their fealty must be unquestionable. Ever wonder what those cute little tassels are made from on the loafers those guys wear?

[Mike]

>>I can't figure out if the editorial board at the Washington Post is corrupt, or just plain stupid.

Don't be so hard on yourself, thing. Two out of three ain't so bad...

(You forgot 'loyal' <]:^)

[Ranty]

Damn you anti-Semites!

[pbg]

This can get distilled to the immortal words of Ring Lardner, Jr.:

"Shut up," he explained.

[Billmon]

"Criticism of Mr. Wolfowitz's agenda for the bank may be healthy once that agenda emerges. But preemptive condemnation because of the Iraq war is not. "

In the brokerage biz, we use that disclaimer, too. Only ours is worded: "Past performance is no guarantee of future results."

[x174]

1. Washington Post Editorial Board:

Fred Hiatt
Editorial Page Editor

Colbert I. King
Jackson Diehl
Deputy Editorial Page Editors

Ken Ikenberry
Assistant Editorial Page Editor

Anne Applebaum
Robert Asher
Sebastian Mallaby
Ruth Marcus
Benjamin Wittes
Editorial Writers

Martha McAteer
Letters Editor

Tom Toles
Editorial Cartoonist

http://washpost.com/news_ed/editorial/editboard.shtml

2. About the Washington Post Editorial Board:

Editorial & Opinion Pages
The Editorial department publishes the editorials, letters to the editor and opinion pages. So as not to compromise the objectivity of the news department, the editorial staff operates independently; its editor, Fred Hiatt, reports directly to The Post's chairman, Donald Graham.

The editorial board meets daily to discuss issues and plan the unsigned editorials that present the newspaper's views on matters of local, national and international concern.

The opinion page publishes pieces by both regular columnists and guest contributors. Like the editorial page, the opinion page appears every day. On Sundays, the department publishes an extra opinion page, Close to Home, that emphasizes issues of local interest.

Letters to the editor also appear every day; they are meant to reflect a wide range of reader opinion and to allow readers to comment on Post coverage. On Saturdays, an extra letters page, Free For All, gives readers more room to talk back.

Until his death in 2001, Herblock was the Post's editorial cartoonist. He drew cartoons for the Post since 1946 and won four Pulitzer Prizes.

http://washpost.com/news_ed/editorial/index.shtml

[Hardleft]

Fuck the world bank and fuck its new boss. May he run it into the ground.

WP editors- weak-assed neoliberals.

[ecoast]

Someone upthread said Fred Hiatt himself, wapo editorial page editor, might have written this piece. I don't think so. I think Sebastian Mallaby wrote this piece, because he is the world bank expert on the wapo editorial board. He wrote a signed op-ed on Wolfowitz's nomination last week and, of course, he wrote a book on Wolfenson's stewardship at World Bank. He is playing nice to have access to Wolfowitz for his next book. Plus he may actually believe all this stuff.

Actually, I like the idea of someone on the ed boards specializing on World Bank. I hope Sebastian doesn't just do the inside-beltway stuff and actually goes out to the developing world and see what kind of effect
that WB has on povery eradication.

That's good idea. I will call Sebastian tomorrow and tell him if he works that angle for the next few years, there will a pulitzer waiting for him.

[The Oracle]

Aaaaah, the World Bank.

Now it will be just another wholly-owned subsidiary of Halliburton Inc.

In other words, will Wolfie be able to change his spots into being a bonafide neo-humanitarian, or will he continue in his role as a Halliburton globalization flunky?

We'll see, won't we?

[MTC]

I have nothing personal against Paul Wolfowitz. He is not lacking in compassion or integrity. He has demonstrated an inability to recognize the expertise and wisdom of others, which bodes ill for his tenure at an institution that specializes in a subject (development economics) of which he knows little.

The rhetorical stance of this article, however, transcends stupidity. I cannot stop myself from replacing the proper nouns so as to create new absurd narratives:

"The New York City Council will meet today and almost certainly confirm the nomination of Michael Corleone as the new commissioner of police.

Don Corleone's critics, domestic as well as international, should now get beyond their dislike of his role in the elimination of his rivals....

Most people would agree that the police department is necessary... People who care about the police department and its mission -- as many of Don Corleone's detractors do -- should think carefully before they damage it by attacking its new boss..."

or

"The Council of Elrond will meet today and almost certainly confirm the nomination of Saruman as the bearer of the one ring of power.

Saruman's critics, animal as well as vegetable, should now get beyond their dislike of his role in the breeding of the Uruk-hai and the destruction of the forest of Fangorn....

Most people would agree that the preservation of the Middle Earth is necessary... People who care about the Council and its mission -- as many of Saruman's detractors do -- should think carefully before they damage it by attacking its new boss..."

or

[MTC]

"The College of Cardinals will meet today and almost certainly confirm the nomination of Karl Rove (sorry Giblets) as the new Pope.

Rove's critics, lay as well as ecclesiastical, should now get beyond their dislike of his role of the election of a curiousity-challenged man-child as President of the United States....

Most people would agree that the papacy is necessary... People who care about the One Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church and its mission -- as many of the incipient Karolus Rovio Magnificamus I's detractors do -- should think carefully before they damage it by attacking its new boss..."

or

[Gerhard]

Hi from Europe.
Someone asked (rather at the beginning of this thread) about reactions in Europe.
Well, right from the start, the "elites" (or whoever was informed and concerned about what was going to happten at the Bank) were flabbergasted, and media comments were rather unanimously unfriendly; some center-left parties in some parliaments considered introducing motions to bind their respective governments not to accept the nomination. After about one week of rather harsh comments, EU ministers of finance and central bank governors huddled ttogether with Wolfowitz, and, in the end, causing great surprise, Euro spokesperson Juncker from Luxemburg announced that the EU would back Wolfowitz.

Rumors have it that, really, they were not very happy, but with a trade war just going on (EU sanctions for the Byrd Amendment, pursuant to a WTO Panel decision; plus another nice little war on subsidies to Boeing and EADS), and with the perspective of the Bush administration backing, in turn, former EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy in the WTO, they decided to swallow Wolfowitz and then forget about it.

[BevD]

I wouldn't be surprised if Richard Cohen wrote the editorial...Broder is in California isn't he?

[eyelessgame]

People who care about this institution and its mission -- as many of Mr. Wolfowitz's detractors do -- should think carefully before they damage it by attacking its new boss...

I'm sorry, my irony meter just broke. And their justification for attacking Clinton for his affair was...?

[DoBeDo]

Re: "Most people agree that the World Bank is necessary. There are few competent organizations that can help manage the challenges of globalization"

As my eighth grade teacher liked to say, "Just cause most people are cartwheeling out the window singing the Star Spangled Banner doesn't mean it's a good move."

Most people know nothing about developmental economics and even less about how aid works on the ground. In fact, you have to read fairly specialized publications to get any regular coverage of Bank programs and their effect on the ground.

By its own estimates 70% of the World Bank's projects have been a failure. That's because evidence suggests that the types of projects the World Bank specializes in - dams, oil drilling, roads, etc. - rarely help poor countries and often make them worse off.

So maybe everybody who thinks the World Bank is necessary ought to take a look at books like "Inside the Third World". If they do, they'll learn about the many types of aid programs that can aid poor people in poor countries and stop thinking that the World Bank is necessary.

[aeph]

cheque quoted: "Criticism of Mr. Wolfowitz's agenda for the bank may be healthy once that agenda emerges. But preemptive condemnation because of the Iraq war is not. "

millions of non-Bush-insiders face preemptive condemnation based upon credit ratings, criminal and driving records, work histories, SAT scores, etc... on a daily basis.

ps- failed attempts at leadership and planning do NOT count as relevant work experience for appointments!