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Please note the liberal POV: It is an attack on the media when the President objects to the release of classified information that puts American lives in danger. It is freedom of the press when the media puts American lives at risk in an attempt to discredit the President.

Bush Seeks to Use Media Leaks to His Advantage
Attack on Newspapers Continues as Some Democrats Accuse White House of Trying to Divert Attention
By Charles Babington and Michael Abramowitz, Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, June 29, 2006

President Bush rallied Republicans with another attack on the media last night, in remarks that highlighted efforts at the White House and on Capitol Hill to gain momentum from recent disclosures about classified programs to fight terrorism.
Senior administration officials say the president was outraged by articles in the New York Times and other newspapers about a surveillance program in which the U.S. government has tapped international banking records for information about terrorist financing. But his comments at a Republican fundraiser in a St. Louis suburb yesterday, combined with new moves by GOP congressional leaders, showed how both are working to fan public anger and reap gains from the controversy during a midterm election year in which polls show they are running against stiff headwinds.
Democrats, for their part, denounced Republicans for trying to divert attention from issues such as the Iraq war and high gasoline prices, and some terrorism experts said the White House is exaggerating the damage.
Republican House leaders introduced a resolution yesterday condemning leakers and calling on the media and others to safeguard classified programs. For the second time this week -- at an event on behalf of Sen. James M. Talent (R-Mo.) -- Bush attacked newspapers for disclosures he said make it harder for his administration to thwart terrorists.
"This program has been a vital tool in the war on terror," the president said, receiving a standing ovation. "There can be no excuse for anyone entrusted with vital intelligence to leak it and no excuse for any newspaper to print it."
Hours before Bush spoke, Democrats denounced what they saw as a White House-inspired campaign.
"This is all so people don't realize what else is going on," especially in Iraq, said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), who is heading his party's efforts to regain control of the House in the November elections. "This is disingenuous of both the White House and House Republicans."
The White House dismissed such claims. "This is not press-bashing. This is a clear disagreement about a decision to reveal a classified program," White House counselor Dan Bartlett said in an e-mail exchange. "Are we supposed to just sit back and take it?"

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