Abstract
Drawing on the literature related to indexing and sourcing, this study analyzes portrayals and sourcing patterns of New York Times coverage of Abu Ghraib and invocations of the events during Alberto Gonzales' nomination as U.S. Attorney General. Content analysis of all 760 articles published revealed that journalists overwhelmingly consulted official, though not necessarily partisan, sources during the pre-nomination, nomination, and hearing phases leading up to Gonzales' confirmation. Despite introducing the idea of “scandal” into coverage of Abu Ghraib, which suggests press independence, journalists consulted routine sources and increasingly relied on congressional sources over time.
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