Borger on media's coverage of Bush's Iraq trip: "I think we are suckers"

Summary: On CNN's Reliable Sources, CBS News contributor Gloria Borger acknowledged that the media "are suckers" because of their coverage of President Bush's surprise June 13 trip to Iraq. Borger concluded: "[Y]ou know you're being used, but in a way you kind of like it because it's good pictures."

During the June 18 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources, Gloria Borger, a CBS News contributor and U.S. News & World Report contributing editor, acknowledged that the media "are suckers" because of their coverage of President Bush's surprise June 13 trip to Iraq. Adding that "[w]e do like these secret trips," Borger concluded: "[Y]ou know you're being used, but in a way you kind of like it because it's good pictures." During the segment, photographs of President Bush walking into Air Force One, riding in its cockpit, and walking with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki appeared on screen.

From the June 18 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources:

KURTZ: Gloria Borger, are journalists suckers for this kind of secret trip to Baghdad stuff? I mean, Bush was there less than six hours but got an avalanche of mostly positive coverage.

BORGER: I think we are suckers. Particularly if you're the one who gets to go on the pool, Howie, and gets to travel with the president on a secret trip to Baghdad. We do like these secret trips.

Believe it or not, we kind of like to be surprised, but I think if you're a bureau chief in Washington, you may be asking, "Gee, why didn't we have more information?" And when you ask that question, the answer you always get from the White House is, "Because this has to be shrouded in secrecy because this is a matter of presidential security. So we can't tell you more about this in advance." So you know you're being used, but in a way you kind of like it because it's good pictures.

KURTZ: You enjoy it.

—M.S.