This comes as no great surprise. The Times editors had made it clear in recent weeks that they favored the vice president. As soon as the primary results were known in March, the Times went into print asserting that the voters could expect a fierce and captivating race. The Times ' glowing portrait of the 2000 campaign reeks with cynicism. It speaks to the dishonesty of the editors, their insularity and their contempt for the American people.
Many indicators points to widespread apathy, disgust and alienation within the electorate.
The Times ' own reporters have noted these trends on occasion. The newspaper's consistent effort to sanitize George W. Bush is especially significant. The Times played a critical role in legitimizing this deeply reactionary campaign. Even from the standpoint of American bourgeois politics, Bush is an individual entirely lacking in the political qualifications traditionally deemed necessary for the presidency. Behind him, although they have been kept out of the limelight for the entire election year, stand the Congressional Republicans and the rest of the crowd that organized the impeachment drive.