IF BUSH LOSES, the press should expect a colossal backlash, as it’s been very obviously in the tank for Kerry. As John Leo observes:

Isn’t this journalistic malpractice?

The open partisanship of big media organizations in trying to hurt Bush and help Kerry — a phenomenon that, as Leo notes, is not limited to CBS and RatherGate, but extends to places like The New York Times — is very troubling. The loss of credibility that results will come back to haunt the press in a lot of ways, no matter who wins. I doubt that, in retrospect, they’ll think it was worth it, but I don’t think it was ever calculated, exactly. I think they just can’t help themselves.

UPDATE: Speaking of which, be sure to read this post by Tom Maguire on the unravelling “missing explosives” story.