That wasn't the media's fault, though, that was the Bush administration manufacturing an excuse to invade the Middle East.

I agree that the fault ultimately lies with the Bush administration for making false claims. However, it is _critically_ important to also place fault with the media outlets who simply repeated those claims, abandoning their duty as a check against the state.

A lot of media actors were in on the con.

There is a well-documented connection between journalists and intelligence agencies. In some cases journalists have been little more than mouthpieces for the US (and allied) intelligence community.

If a tree falls in the woods, but no TV stations or newspapers show repeats of it falling, does it make a sound?

IIRC an article by the New York Times was considered a turning point in convincing the population of WMDs in Iraq.

Arguably, the media's role is to stress test claims made by the government. They certainly do it for the trump admin. Though I wonder if they'll do it for the Biden admin.

I wouldn't say it's their fault. But still in 2020, the media breathlessly reports targeted leaks by intelligence agencies as fact. We didn't learn anything.

Arguably, the media's role is to manufacture consent among the general public for whatever the government wants to do.

I'm left leaning, and I hope that they absolutely do stress-test the Biden administration and every administration after it. If nothing else, 2020 has showed me how important the 4th Estate is in our democracy and the power it truly has. Watching the major news networks cut Trump's speech short on Election Night when he started declaring victory and insisting they'd already won before Florida was even counted was the most important thing I've seen them do in a long, long time.