Travel Journalism = Terrorism

Here's a little tid-bit that encapsulates the whole NY Times travel section "controversy" very neatly for me. As you may know, conservative America is in the throes (the last throes, if you will) of an apoplectic fit of faux-rage over a travel article in the NY Times describing the summer homes of one Donald Rumsfeld (of the Arlington Rumsfelds) and Mr. Richard B. Cheney (Lord of the Siths). Some have even gone so far as to accuse the Times of publishing the article in retaliation for the White House's criticism of its earlier work (reg req'd, alternative link).

The blogger, Zuzu at Feministe, discussing the mock indignation flooding the media over this issue, alluded to the fact that numerous right-wing publications are guilty of the very crime for which they are now condemning the Times. She specifically alluded to the propaganda mill, NewsMax, in her post (h/t John Amato @ Crooks & Liars). Intrigued, I searched and I searched and found the offending NewsMax article and thought it would be fun to put it side-by-side with its previous work on the subject for the sake of comparison (and the concomitant ridicule it should inspire).

The most recent NewsMax article, deploring the NY Times for it's "retaliation" says:

New York Times Retaliates Against Cheney, Rumsfeld
Beware of travel feature stories posing as invitations to terror.

"The New York Times points cranks, radicals, al-Qaida operatives and would-be assassins to the summer homes of [V.P. Dick] Cheney and [Defense Secretary Donald] Rumsfeld" writes FrontPage Magazine's David Horowitz, who sees the June 30 Times feature article as an apparent retaliation for administration "criticism of the Times' disclosure of classified intelligence to America's enemies."

In the "Escapes" section of the June 30 edition, the N.Y. Times printed huge color photos of the vacation residences of Cheney and Rumsfeld, "identifying the small Maryland town where they live, showing their front driveways and, in Rumsfeld's case, actually pointing out the hidden security camera in case any hostile intruders should get careless," Horowitz writes.

Times Travel section writer Peter Kilborn even makes sure enemies of the two men will know such details as where Mrs. Rumsfeld shops in the eastern shore town of St. Michaels, Md. where the two administration officials have weekend retreats...

For comparison (and a chilling stare into the eye of jaw-dropping hypocrisy), here is a snippet from a previous article from the very same NewsMax, posted just this past September (all emphases mine, of course):

Cheneys Head to Maryland Shore

Vice President Cheney is buying a house in posh St. Michaels, Maryland - he is, that is, if you believe the rumors swirling around this Eastern Shore community on the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay.

Then again he and his wife may not be in the process of buying a luxurious $2.9 million mansion thought to have been built by one of Thomas Edison's daughters back in 1930.

According to the Washington Post, it's set amidst nine lush bayfront acres and includes extensive gardens, ornamental pools and spectacular views of the bay behind it - and it boasts among its neighbors Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld...

[snip]

...Cheney's potential neighbor, Donald Rumsfeld, bought a weekend house in St. Michaels two years ago for a reported $1.5 million.

The Post writes that his neighbors like his desire to blend in - even if that means taking a walk with his wife, Joyce, down a rural stretch of road tailed by SUVs.

So, there you have it. By their own description, last September NewsMax sent an "invitation to terror" to the enemies of Cheney and Rumsfeld, letting the evil-doers know where they live and how to get to their wives, bloodthirsty traitors that they are. Shame on the NY Times for following their treacherous lead.