Mainstream columnists and mainstream politicians of both parties have one thing in common with regard to the recent Gaza developments: they have either said nothing (in terms of opinion) or come out in support of Israel. Editor and Publisher, a journal focused on the study of newspaper content, described this media behavior during the first 8 days of Israeli offensive in a piece published Saturday (January 3rd) and updated Sunday and today:

The New York Times had produced exactly one editorial, not a single commentary by any of its columnists, and only two op-eds (one already published elsewhere). The editorial, several days ago, did argue against the wisdom of a ground invasion - - but even though that invasion had become ever more likely all week the paper did not return to this subject.

Amazingly, the paper has kept that silence going in Sunday's and even Monday's paper, with no editorial or columnist comment on the Israeli invasion -- beyond a hawkish pro-invasion contribution by William Kristol. It's as if the Times is waiting for the invasion to be over and adapt its position to the outocme.

The Washington Post did manage to work up an editorial for Sunday which, in the usual contortionist manner, found the invasion "justified" but also highly "risky."

More:

As in the past, U.S. media coverage and commentary has overwhelmingly backed the Israeli actions (as it did in the Lebanon war in 2006, which turned into a fiasco). CNN and MSNBC have provided some helpful balance, starting late Saturday, but on the Sunday morning talk shows Democratic leaders said little, or nothing, critical of Israel.

Commentary against the excessive use of force by Israel has been mostly relegated to liberal bloggers such as Glen Greenwald and others.

Let it be known that in addition to his regular column, Krugman has a blog, in which not one word has been said about this issue. The excuse that Krugman is an economist, not a foreign policy expert, is mitigated by the fact that he spoke against the Iraq invasion from the get-go and beyond.