Sauce for the Gander

As regular readers know, I have long claimed that most of the mainstream media is biased left, which is reflected in their news coverage. President Bush was heavily criticized for a 72-hour delay in responding to the Katrina disaster, even though most of that delay was due to reluctance on the part of Lousiana governor Kathleen Blanco to relinquish control to the military as required by law for military intervention in state affairs. This latter fact went virtually unreported in the Bush feeding frenzy.

Now we have President Obama delaying nearly two months before taking an active role--if you can call jawboning "active"--in the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, potentially the worst environmental disaster in recent times. Press mention, to say nothing of criticism--of this delay is almost impossible to find.

Now we have British Petroleum CEO Tony Hayward's excursion on a racing yacht. The press has gone ape in labeling this likely long-term commitment, probably from well before the Gulf disaster, as "insensitive", "dereliction", "outrageous" and whatever other lurid insults they can come up with. Administration spokespersons like Rahm Emanuel spout similar critical remarks in the media.

President Obama has gone on seven golf outings, according to Internet reports, since this crisis began. He apparently is scheduled for another one this coming weekend. These are probably not long-time commitments. This "business as usual" has, so far as I know, received insignificant press coverage.

Of course, it could be argued that President Obama really can't do anything about the situation anyway, so why begrudge him some well-needed recreation? O.K., I'll buy that. My problem is poor Tony Hayward goes on one yacht ride and is crucified in the press, and he really can't do anything either. Meanwhile, our "laser beam" president recreates as usual without a discouraging word from our "unbiased" media.

Of course, he did pick up some tar balls from a beach.