Remember when the media had a cow over the so-called "enemies' list" of President Nixon? Although the mainstream media are in the tank for President Obama, the administration finds it necessary to silence Fox News and Rush.

Moreover, they don't seem much more tolerant of senior citizens who express concern, frustration and fear over the portside list of the ship of state.

The Anita Dunn and Anita Hill episodes are also instructive and diagnostic. These political sisters are representative of the demimonde of Democrats who enjoy the approval of a media that has devolved into a propaganda arm of the Democrat Party.

Ms. Dunn, White House communications director, recently opined she admired the philosophy of the infamous Chinese dictator, Chairman Mao. Not a peep from the media. Remember the ridicule heaped upon President Bush when he said his favorite philosopher is Jesus Christ?

Ms. Hill earned her notoriety in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate the character of Judge Clarence Thomas. If Republicans had found a conservative Latino willing to make unsubstantiated charges against Judge Sotomayor, the media would still be screaming foul.

The apotheosis of liberals and their dogma by the media, academe and Hollywood militates against ideological diversity. Just as the principle of checks and balances advances integrity in government, a level playing field promotes the exposure of disparate ideas.

By tradition, if not by definition, the assiduous maintenance of such an impartial, non-partisan arena is the obligation of the Fourth Estate.

Matt Reeves

Lompoc