A Free Press

So what's wrong with the Guardian? To their credit, they are one of the few newspapers to even mention that Blair was asked about rendition yesterday. But "Blair insists nothing to hide on rendition"? It's true that Blair did indeed do that. But he also made a startling admission (as mentioned yesterday)

Question: You have not made enquiries as to whether people have been illegally transported through this country from Place A to B?

Prime Minister: No.

The Guardian don't seem to feel that this was worth pointing out to their readers.

Despite all the controversy, Blair has not thought to phone President Bush, his closest ally, and just ask him whether this has taken place. It would be the simplest of tasks. He has not asked anyone to contact CIA HQ in Langley to ask them if they can provide him with an assurance that it hasn't happened so that he can put this controversy to rest once and for all. Why not?

This is surely the most significant admission concerning rendition to come out of yesterday's press conference. And yet the Guardian, who undoubtedly had a journalist present, chose to emphasise Blair's disingenuous insistence that he has "nothing to hide". Way to go, people. Let's hear it for the Fourth Estate.

Tags: News, Politics, Tony Blair, Extraordinary Rendition, Media