Paul Krugman wonders why the press portrayed Bush (until recently) as a straight shooter; his theories reference 9/11. I think Bob Somerby of the Daily Howler knows 9/11 isn't the reason, although 9/11 made the press that much more skittish about criticizing Bush. Somerby's been saying for years that the press portrayed Gore as a liar in the 2000 campaign (which was payback to the Democrats for Clinton's decision to tell fibs about his sex life). If Gore was a liar, Bush, for dramatic effect, had to be his opposite. And that's how the press portrayed Bush, until just a few months ago.