Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Lapdogs: How the Press Rolled Over for Bush” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Lapdogs: How the Press Rolled Over for Bush

Eric Boehlert

3.90 · Rating details · 41 ratings · 5 reviews

Lapdogs is the first book to demonstrate that, for the entire George W. Bush presidency, the news media have utterly failed in their duty as watchdog for the public. In blistering prose, Eric Boehlert reveals how, time after time, the press chose a soft approach to covering the government, and as a result reported and analyzed crucial events incompletely and even inaccurat Lapdogs is the first book to demonstrate that, for the entire George W. Bush presidency, the news media have utterly failed in their duty as watchdog for the public. In blistering prose, Eric Boehlert reveals how, time after time, the press chose a soft approach to covering the government, and as a result reported and analyzed crucial events incompletely and even inaccurately. From WMDs to Valerie Plame to the NSA's domestic spying, mainstream fixtures such as The New York Times, CBS, CNN, and Time magazine too often ignored the administration's missteps and misleading words, and did not call out the public officials who betrayed the country's trust. Throughout both presidential campaigns and the entire Iraq war to date, the media acted as a virtual mouthpiece for the White House, giving watered-down coverage of major policy decisions, wartime abuses of power, and egregious mistakes -- and sometimes these events never made it into the news at all. Finally, in Lapdogs, the press is being held accountable by one of its own. Boehlert homes in on the reasons the press did not do its job: a personal affinity for Bush that journalists rarely displayed toward his predecessor, Bill Clinton; a Republican White House that threatened to deny access to members of the media who asked challenging questions or voiced criticism; and a press that feared being tainted by accusations of liberal bias. Moreover, journalists -- who may have wanted to report accurately on the important stories -- often found themselves at cross-purposes with media executives, many of whom were increasingly driven by economic concerns. Cowed by all of these factors, the media abandoned their traditionalrole of stirring up meaningful public debate. Boehlert asserts that the Bush White House never subscribed to the view -- commonly held by previous administrations -- that a relationship with the press is an important part of the democratic process. Instead, it saw the press as just another special interest group that needed to be either appeased or held at bay -- or, in some cases, squashed. The administration actively undermined the basic tenets of accurate and fair journalism, and reporters and editors accepted their reduced roles without a whimper. To an unprecedented degree, journalists too often stopped asking uncomfortable questions of people in power. In essence, the entire purpose and pursuit of journalism was sacrificed. Riveting in its sharp denouncement, supported by dozens of glaring and troubling examples of journalistic malpractice, Lapdogs thoroughly dissects the press's misconduct during Bush's presidency and gives voice to the growing public dismay with the mainstream media. ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 333 pages

Published April 1st 2006 by Free Press

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Lapdogs, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Lapdogs

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.90 ·

Rating details

· 41 ratings · 5 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Lapdogs: How the Press Rolled Over for Bush

Apr 04, 2008 Mike rated it did not like it

Where is it written that the media has to play watchdog for the public good??? I thought the media is there to REPORT THE NEWS, not take positions on matters! I have to agree that coverage online is much, much better than what you get on television. Let's face it, the networks and cable are pretty much superfluous at this point, and have been since the 2000 election. Dan Rather and his ilk should have been gone years ago. However, to say that the news rolled over for Bush is wrong, I think if yo ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 13, 2007 Jeff rated it it was amazing

What did I learn? Nothing I didn't already know: the national news media in the United States is a disgraceful, traitorous bunch in full heat and constant swoon over the pretender in the White House. Boehlert explains the mess we are in and what it is costing us. ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 23, 2007 Sarah Riley rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: everyone. We all should be awares.

This outlines and explains everything we feared was true with the Bush administration and the news medias lackings.
It's bummery but good. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 06, 2016 Ron Sitton rated it really liked it

Shelves: media

A sordid tale of the mainstream media's dereliction of duties during the Bush presidency that ultimately weakened trust in the fourth estate. ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 16, 2011 James rated it it was amazing

this is great book, with lots of infuriating reminders of why I try not to pay attention to the media - I've read this book at least three times ...more

flag Like · see review