THE CALL TO SILENCE NOVAK

New York Post ^ | 10-04-03

[jmstein7]

The vitriol in the media as they froth and foam at the mouth over a non-story - merely because it is an excuse to hurt a popular president whom they hate - is both frightening and sad. The media are supposed to seek truth and light; instead, they have become a dark advocate for a venomous, hateful American left-wing reminiscent of the Bolsheviks of the early 1900s.

The media have become a self-anointed, fourth branch of government. The media are unelected and unaccountable. And, thanks to the Supreme Court in Times v. Sullivan, they are virtually above the law.

The power over the dissemination of information is the power to create, mold and destroy. Right now, the media are hell-bent on destroying President Bush - merely because they disagree with him and hate the fact that the people love him.

[more...]

[jmstein7]

This is hard core!

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[jmstein7]

BUMP!

[LS]

I don't want to silence him, but I think all journalists must be held accountable---they cannot just say, "I got it from a source" and then foist off on the government the expense and trouble of locating the source.

I have real problems with the "confidentiality of sources" when it comes to issues of national security. Novak knows, he should end the speculation and say. Yes, his career may take a hit. So what? Any more than the careers of either Plame or Pres. Bush? Why is his sacrosanct? To me it's a a double-standard that lets reporters of any political stripe get away with murder.

[jmstein7]

Ping!

[Clara Lou]

Well, why did Robert Novak print the woman's name? And why doesn't Novak name the person who told him her name? (The heck with protecting his sources-- his source is a leak.) Novak has created a situation that didn't have to exist. Why? This is a case of poor judgement on Novak's part, at the very least.
And more than anything else, DC is a cesspool. No wonder the President leaves whenever possible.

[randita]

John Loftus had some interesting things to say about this last night on Batchelor and Alexander-WABC. Loftus said that Wilson's wife was a NOC (I forget the acronym's meaning, but it is a highly secretive CIA agent who does not receive diplomatic immunity when overseas--they're basically hung out there to dry if they get into trouble is what I understood that to be). To "out" a NOC, Loftus said is near treasonous because it allows countries to go back and check hotel records, etc. and get lots of info about the NOC's activities. He said it is very serious.

Loftus also said scuttlebutt is that the initial leak to Novak came from Cheney's chief of staff (forget the name) and the confirmation came from Rove. But Novak has said the info didn't come from the WH, so don't know if this is accurate.

Also said was that Cheney's office had been intouch with Amb. Wilson several times to get him to back off the Niger story.

[KC_Conspirator]

The counterpoint is that the press protects their sources all the time and have made claims that it is a protection of their trade. Liberals have made a point of this their whole careers. For example, Woodward and Bernstein never told us who Deep Throat was and the New York Slimes and the Washington ComPost regularly have huge leading stories (almost always anti-Bush) that have "un-named sources".

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Novak was interviewed Wednesday afternoon on CNN and he said the White House was not the source of his tip and the woman in question was more of a clerk than an "agent."
Referring to the blather from a certain senator from New York, Novak said his remarks were, "Washington at its worst."
Guess he should know.

[LS]

I know that is the argument. It doesn't work in wartime, why should it work in national security issues? I'm sick of the onus being placed on government or individuals to defend themselves from press slurs.

[steve50]

Loftus also said scuttlebutt is that the initial leak to Novak came from Cheney's chief of staff (forget the name) and the confirmation came from Rove. But Novak has said the info didn't come from the WH, so don't know if this is accurate.

Think the guy in the VP office is alleged to be Scooter Libby. One of the talking head shows had a fairly well know magazine reporter on last nite saying Cheney might not be on the ticket next time around, but didn't link the claim to this problem.

[Just mythoughts]

Who is John Loftus? Who sent Mr. Wilson a public person to go and gather intel about "yellowcake"?

Sorry until that is explained blaming the White House/ Cheney is nothing more than a diversion.

Mr. Wilson himself made his wife's name public in "02" so why was that not a crime?

Mr. Wilson placed into print and out of his own mouth what he wanted and that was to destroy President Bush.

How does one with that mindset get selected to go gather intel?

Did John Loftus explain these things?

The one little problem in "to out" someone one must be able to prove "INTENT". So this makes it all the easier to accuse, point fingers, knowing that they probably can never prove "INTENT" thus get everybody in an uproar cause of the haters of President Bush seek to destroy his credibility.

The one thing these scuttlebutters seem to be counting on is Novak keeping his mouth shut.

[visagoth]

NOC
Serving under what is referred to as "nonofficial cover" (NOC), CIA officers pose as American businessmen in friendly countries, from Asia to Central America to Western Europe. There, they recruit agents from the ranks of foreign officials and business leaders, pilfer secrets, and even conduct special operations and paramilitary activities.

[Toespi]

The power over the dissemination of information is the power to create, mold and destroy. Right now, the media are hell-bent on destroying President Bush - merely because they disagree with him and hate the fact that the people love him.

To be more precise, they also hate the type of person who supports GW. They believe that the people who live in the "fly-over" areas who like GW, are uneducated trailer trash, who for the most part aren't smart enough to chose a President.

[DustyMoment]

Thank you!! These are exactly the same points I was going to make.

Just to review, folks, Wilson OUTED his OWN WIFE in previously published articles and outed her in July of this year when he wrote an article claiming that the Bush Administration ignored his "report" on the Niger trip. His "report" was a verbal report to the CIA, it was NEVER written down.

[Just mythoughts]

One of Mr. Wilson's better moments was when he said that he did not know who he met with that gave him his intel gathering assignment, and he would not know them if he met them on the street. HELLO

So who did he report to when he got back? His wife?

Why is there no written report?

And why the HE!! shouldn't the White House be asking some questions. HELLO

[gaspar]

Not only that, in outing his wife he outed his wife's cover business, the Brewster-something or other corportation. The only problem with this is that any simple investigation of the company would immediately indicate it was a front -- there were no hits on Google. In addition, Wilson himself has had it written about himself openly that he was advisor to the Rock Creek Foundation, the Rock Creek Corporation and the RockCreek Institute, but no investigation can find out which. It's hard to figure this Wilson-Plame business, but the CIA has acted incredibly stupid by naming a relative of a covert agent (and the CIA has not admitted this, and why not?) to lead a mission to Africa.

THE CHORUS RISES; FIRE TENANT

[Noachian]

The media have become a self-anointed, fourth branch of government. The media are unelected and unaccountable. And, thanks to the Supreme Court in Times v. Sullivan, they are virtually above the law.

The Supreme Court is also unelected, unaccountable, and above the law, so why shouldn't the media follow the Supreme Court's lead?

Once the Congress, with the apathy of the public, assigns to the Judiciary the power to create, mold and destroy with impunity it sends a message to society and the media. The media are merely doing what they see as "acceptable" in the eyes of both the government and the people.

If the American people will not take responsibility for the actions of their government how can they be expected to have a media that is fair and impartial?

[Bob Eimiller]

Robert Novak is a "blithering idiot" His verbal commu nication skills make him the perfect "conservative" for CNN.

CNN loves him because his inept debating ability and his noxious personality are a perfect combination for their "right wing" side of the discourse.

Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel is another one... the perfect Republican idiot for the media.

Remember when "ditzy" Arianna Huffington was the "conservative" media mouthpiece?

I realize it will never happen, but it certainly wouldn't bother me if they locked Novak up for not giving up his source just to get rid of his incoherent CNN commentary.

[Freee-dame]

Robert Novak is a "blithering idiot" His verbal commu nication skills make him the perfect "conservative" for CNN. CNN loves him because his inept debating ability and his noxious personality are a perfect combination for their "right wing" side of the discourse.

Add to that his annoying little grin whenever a liberal on the panel refers to "country club Republicans." The vast majority of Republicans in this country are productive, hard working people who have never belonged to a country club.

CNN etc. certainly won't allow a terrific conservative speaker and debater like Laura Ingraham be a regular on a show.