Media manipulation

Re “FEMA blasted for fake news briefing,” Oct. 26

I don’t understand why the Department of Homeland Security (and, by extension, the White House) is so bent out of shape about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s fake news conference last week. What’s the difference between that and President Bush holding bogus town hall meetings, in which only pre-screened questions were allowed to be asked? Or, perhaps a better analogy, the White House feeding television stations video clips that it produced with phony news anchors? Isn’t it all part of the Bush administration’s long-standing manipulation of the media?

You can always tell when a news outlet won’t play along. It’s labeled as being unpatriotic, left-wing and giving aid and comfort to terrorists.

Tom Ogden

Hollywood

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This is not a partisan issue; it is a corruption issue. It is a government agency presenting false information to the public and painting a false image of its performance. It is a huge deal.

Have we become so accustomed to our government lying that faking a news conference is just an “error in judgment”?

It is in fact a disturbing action that should be condemned.

Eric Werner

Los Angeles