The Bush administration's attack on the media is backfiring.

The administration's charge that the media is only focusing on the negative news coming out of Iraq has really angered the news outlets. They are, as a group, discussing this issue and challenging the notion that they are hiding on hotel balconies instead of going out into Iraq to find the "good news".

I am watching CNN's "Reliable Sources" and Lara Logan (who is pictured to the left) became very animated when she was asked the question of whether or not they are only covering negative news. She said that she could not get out into the community without the military protecting her. She addressed the fact that she has faced criticism from both sides about how she has covered the stories in Iraq. She also said that she has tried to cover the opening of new schools and been told she could not do that because then the insurgents might blow it up. It does not sound at all like this is the fault of the media.

Laura Ingram, serving as a mouthpiece for the Bushies, has been leading the charge against the MSM and saying that it is either lazy journalism or left leaning news reporting. But the news agencies are not taking these charges lying down. I have seen every major news network, and most of the cable outlets, go on the offensive and talk about the horrific stories that they are not showing to the American people.

I believe that adminstration will live to regret poking the news media with a stick. They have clearly pissed off the very people who provide the information that we see on our televisons. The war is already unpopular and I believe that if the MSM take off the gloves they will destroy what little credibility the adminstration might still retain.

This could also translate into more aggressive coverage of the illegal wiretapping issue, the border control controversy, the pre-war WMD issues, the administration infighting, and so on.

I have a feeling that this tactic came directly from Karl Rove's desk and I think it was a fatal blunder. I know that they believe this will energize their base but I doubt very seriously that their base is is still large enough to get their poll numbers up, or can to significantly help to get the Republicans elected in 2006.

(By the way is Lara Logan a hottie or what? Damn!)