Selective media discomfort

Dan Rather is bothered by the massive press coverage given to Ronald Reagan this week. He complains about the "herd" mentality of the press and how they have spent far too much time on Ronald Reagan's death and the attendant ceremonies. link While I agree with Rather's complaints about the herd mentality of the press and the almost obsessive focus with stories, I wonder why Rather didn't complain during the Abu Ghraib story's lengthy run. The Abu Ghraib story displayed many of the same elements (over-coverage, obsessive focus, herd mentality, etc.) as the Reagan story, yet no one in the press seemed to be bothered by that. Perhaps the press will take this lesson to heart, but I won't be holding my breath.