Posted on 12/31/2005 5:06:54 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
December 31, 2005 - 07:56
In their heart of hearts, do the liberal media believe that when it comes to the struggle against terrorism, we are truly at war? To judge by liberal Newsday columnist Ellis Henican's performance on this morning's Fox & Friends Weekend, you would have to conclude not. Thankfully, fellow Newsday columnist Jim Pinkerton was there to remind his colleague of some cold, hard facts.
The topic was the Justice Department's investigation into the leaks behind the New York Times' publication of the highly-classified program of NSA surveillance of possible Al-Qaeda-related phone calls. Henican appeared utterly unphased by the way in which the Times' revelations could undermine national security and the fight against terrorism. His overwhelming focus was on the possible infringement of civil liberties. He brushed off the security leak in these terms:
"Frankly I'm much more interested in the government spying perhaps illegally on American citizens than trying to blame the people who revealed and told the truth about it. We see another example of trying to turn the attention onto the messenger and blame the people who stood up and told Americans what they need to know instead of those who are doing something that at the very least was highly questionable."
Pinkerton scored a direct hit with this response:
"There's also the issue of course of telling Al-Qaeda what they need to know."
Bada-bing!
Although Pinkerton's bullseye seemed to momentarily rock Henican, in no time he was back to his one-sided view of the struggle, in which the only real concern is for civil liberties, even at the price of intentionally undermining secret government security programs.
Henican: "Without confidential sources investigative reporters can't do their work."
Pinkerton reminded Henican of the flip-side of that formulation: "Without confidential methods, government can't do its work."
Henican could care less:
"[The government's] job is to keep the secret, our job is to tell the truth."
So even in a time of war, Henican views the media as the government's antagonist on national security matters. Wonder how during WWII the administration of liberal-icon FDR would have dealt with a Henican trying to undermine secret programs aimed at the enemy?
Really, Hennican? Where was all that indignation when Bubba was in office?
Sorry Lunatic Leftists. You all jettisoned this arguement when you thought you were going to "Get Bush" with the Plame-Wilson slander job. Don't get to NOW claim the leakers should be protected. Treason is NOT protected by the 1st Amendment.
Wonder how Henican would feel about leakers if someone leaked the Barrett Report?
MSM, declared enemy of America.
"[The government's] job is to keep the secret, our job is to tell the truth."
Fair enough. Find the government leakers who have broken their solumn oath to preserve classified information, try them for treason, and execute them, but do it humanely. We wouldn't want to be accused of being unkind.
Please, somebody punch out this little creep, preferably on national TV. Soon.
give henican the assignment of getting the Barrett report out of thge deep freeze.
I wish I could remember who it was I saw handle this statement the following way (I think it was Cheney), but I loved it. Cheney responded something like, "Spying on whom?" The reply, "American citizens." Cheney asked, "Which American citizens," forcing the questioner to admit that it was American citizens who are in league with Al Qaeda.
That's the way this conversation should always be handled. Force the questioner to admit that the democrat hand wringing is over America spying on Al Qaeda.
The press is still infected with that Woodward/Bernstein malady. They get it in journalism school. It would be funny if Woodward appeared on TV and said there were some things in life more important than 'telling the truth' and letting the chips fall where they may -- such as protecting this country from nuclear attack. I suspect he'd instantly become a nonperson and the outraged MSM would strike him off all cocktail party lists.
Elvis Honeycutt, you can almost see the slime ooze.
Unfortunately the rats got a head start over the holidays with the "heroic leaker saving our civil rights from illegal wiretaps" nonsense. The debate has already been framed.
The Presidents Press Secretary needs to go.
I think the left is going nuts because they know dang good and well what Bubba did with the authority while he had it, and libs think everyone else is as degenerate as they are.
Then someone should leak the Barrett Report, right, Henican? Otherwise reporters won't be able to do their work.
Then, Ellis is a complete and utter failure at his job.
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