Nat Hentoff in the November 15 Village Voice on Ashcroft's Shadowy Disciple – Someone to Watch Over Us:
In covering the highly visible and contentious midterm national elections, the press, in all its manifestations, totally ignored the Bush administration's ceaseless attacks on the Bill of Rights, orchestrated by Attorney General John Ashcroft. So did the candidates, editorial writers, and commentators.
This silence on the deterioration of the liberties we are fighting to protect gives Ashcroft all the more encouragement to pursue his plans, as reported in the October 21 Legal Times, to prepare "a second round of counterterrorism legislation. . . . Lawmakers could see a draft bill in January, after the new Congress convenes"—with the Republicans in control, and most Democratic leaders silent accomplices of Ashcroft.
Of course, young Jonah is free to disagree. Any good apologist would.