Pasqual 64

The MSM is the public’s open source intelligence agency. Like any other intel shop it has analysts with different points of view. John Burns of the NYT for example, is an “outlier” in the tone of that newspaper, but he is nevertheless part of it. You rightly point out there were early predictors of success, but in an intel shop with large numbers of staff there will always be those who get it right.

But to take the analogy further, it is possible to speak of a “consensus” view even when there are dissenters. And is in this sense it is possible to use the term “MSM” without tarring everybody. The consensus view of early to mid-2007 was that the US was done for. As late as Petraeus’ confirmation hearings Andrew Sullivan was calling for Petraeus head for talking to a so-called right wing propaganda shop. There were ads denouncing General “Betray Us”.