A classic MSM damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't moment on this morning's "Today". Tim Russert declared that when it comes to his surge-or-not-to-surge decision on Iraq, President Bush is in "a lose-lose situation."

According to Russert, if the president proceeds with the surge, the Dem-controlled Congress will hold hearings with experts "and they will give the president a very difficult time on the surge capacity."

Continued Tim: "On the other hand, if the president decides not to go forward with the surge of American troops, many members of his conservative base, particularly the neo-conservatives who have been supporting this war, will be agitated with him."

Those darn neo-cons, making trouble again.

View video of Russert's lose-lose formulation here.

Tim actually forgot a third part of the equation: whatever decision the president makes, he is sure to be criticized . . . by the MSM.

UPDATE: Good Morning America's treatment of the president's surge decison was balanced in contrast with Today's. Senior national correspondent Jake Tapper narrated a segment that, in addition to the politics of the issue, actually addressed the substance. We were even offered a clip of retired Army General Jack Keane who expressed support for the surge in these terms: "It will buy us some time, probably as much as two years, so we can bring down the level of violence to an appropriate level for the growth and development of the Iraqi security forces to handle that level of violence."

Finkelstein recently visited Iraq. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net