Putting a rank on what we know rationally about the state of press freedom in America

Anyone who was conscious during the post-911 period in America will deeply aware of the degree to which the U.S. press as an institution bent to a willful and vengeful U.S. president. Perhaps not event epitomizes this more than acquiessence of network executives to the demand by the White House that they censor their broadcasts on al-Qaeda by not permitting American viewers to actually know what Osama bin Laden was saying. It was the opposite of "know your enemy." Of course, the general inclination of both Fox and CNN to think of themselves as extension of the White House press office was generally pathetic. Viewers would be excused for thinking they were watching government sponsored news shows.