'NYT' Editorial Explains Difference Between Plame and NSA Spying Leaks

Editor and Publisher ^ | 01/03/06 | E&P Staff

[Pikamax]

'NYT' Editorial Explains Difference Between Plame and NSA Spying Leaks

By E&P Staff

Published: January 03, 2006 10:30 PM ET

NEW YORK Declaring that "this seems a good moment to try to clear away the fog around this issue," a New York Times editorial for Wednesday attempted to describe the difference between radically diffrent types of leaks.

Two of the newspaper's high-profile reporters, Judith Miller (who recently resigned) and James Risen, have been at the center of two very serious current leak probes.

"A democratic society cannot long survive if whistle- blowers are criminally punished for revealing what those in power don't want the public to know - especially if it's unethical, illegal or unconstitutional behavior by top officials," the newspaper declares. "Reporters need to be able to protect these sources, regardless of whether the sources are motivated by policy disputes or nagging consciences."

The editorial then examines the Plame/CIA leak, citing "a world of difference between that case and a current one in which the administration is trying to find the sources of a New York Times report that President Bush secretly authorized spying on American citizens without warrants. The spying report was a classic attempt to give the public information it deserves to have. The Valerie Wilson case began with a cynical effort by the administration to deflect public attention from hyped prewar intelligence on Iraq. ...

"When the government does not want the public to know what it is doing, it often cites national security as the reason for secrecy. The nation's safety is obviously a most serious issue, but that very fact has caused this administration and many others to use it as a catchall for any matter it wants to keep secret, even if the underlying reason for the secrecy is to prevent embarrassment to the White House. The White House has yet to show that national security was harmed by the report on electronic spying, which did not reveal the existence of such surveillance - only how it was being done in a way that seems outside the law."

Concluding by mentioning a third leak probe, regarding The Washington Post's revelations about secret prison camps for terror suspects, the Times observes, "Illegal spying and torture need to be investigated, not whistle-blowers and newspapers."

[wildcatf4f3]

Heads roll best when severed from the torso...oh no, you can't be serious,,,oh yes I am.

[Rome2000]

The "New York Times" and "Newsweek" are not monolithic faceless alien oracles.

They are run by the the likes of the leftist homosexual on the right, ARTHUR SULZBERGER JR. and the socialist crook on the left DONALD GRAHAM, Chair and CEO of Newsweek and Washington Post, son of CATHERINE GRAHAM MEYER, former owner of the Washington Post.

Every day these 2 enemies of the state unleash a horde of minor league propagandists on the American psyche in a blatant attempt to topple any GOP governement that is elected by the American people.

2006 is the year they will be stopped.

They will no longer be able to hide unde a cloak of annonymity.

They will be exposed and their names equated with treacherous acts.

They and their komrades will be surveilled and brought up on charges.

OFFICERS

Chairman Emeritus: Arthur Ochs "Punch" Sulzberger, age 71, $1,397,200 pay (prior to title change)

Chairman; Publisher, The New York Times: Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., age 46, $960,200 pay (prior to promotion)

VC and SVP: Michael Golden, age 48

President and CEO: Russell T. Lewis, age 50, $882,235 pay (prior to promotion)

SVP Operations and Acting CFO: John M. O'Brien, age 54

SVP and Deputy COO: David L. Gorham, $796,000 pay

[Inwoodian]

I guess that the term "Top Secret" has no objective meaning to the solons at The Times. It is up to the individual to determine if something is truly confidential. Deconstruction comes to national security. Now, it so happens that John Kerry's entire military record and Clinton's State Department file and medical history are not deemed confidential by me. Let's open up the files. Right, Times?

[McGavin999]

Yeah, forget all that silly stuff that happened at the WTC. After all, it was years ago and blocks away from the NYT.

[Rome2000]

The spying report was a classic attempt to give the public information it deserves to have.

Its National Security Stupid!

[null and void]

The NYT is digging it's own grave.If I lived in New York, I'd set up a shovel kiosk at their front door.

Pitchforks and torches are more traditional...

[Sacajaweau]

Rathergate, Koran flush were other "whistle blower" cases AND BOTH WERE PROVED TO BE ABSOLUTELY FALSE but the intention was the same as Plamegate and this cr**.

The first duty of the President is to protect us.

Clinton took little or no action....but Clinton probably did get "the man who knew too much" at the Chinese Embassy....and Foster....and Brown.

[mewzilla]

Snort. Nice try, though.

[wildbill]

There is a whistle-blower law that protects governement employees who report law-braking TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES.

It doesn't protect government employees who go to the NYT>

[colorado tanker]

Bottom line: A conservative leak is criminal, a liberal leak is heroic "whistleblowing."

[SkyPilot]

This is an editorial from a bunch of scared people....you can almost sense the fear as you read this.

Amen - and I am glad they are fearful.

[SkyPilot]

From the looks of Donald Graham's cheeks and face (left), he appears to be an alcoholic.

[jw777]

Why didn't Bill Clinton proclaim from the rooftops that after OKC bombing, he had used the NSA to track and monitor various militia and groups? What was he hiding? See, this game can be played both ways, NYT's!

Treason, is not the way to "protect" civil liberties, DEMS. FYI!

[Jack Black]

Scooter Libby

Whistleblower.

Scooter stands tall among a long line of dedicated public servants who have spoken truth to power. Not since "Deep Throat" as anyone confronted the secret government head on. While his famous predicessor hid behind reporters as an anonymous source Scooter bravely waived confidentiality to reveal his strength in bringing Americans the truth about CIA lies and manipulation.

[wouldntbprudent]

There is a whistle-blower law that protects governement employees who report law-braking TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES.

It doesn't protect government employees who go to the NYT>

BEARS REPEATING!

This needs to be shouted from the rooftops!!

[Mike Darancette]

Plame was leaked to show nepotism in the CIA and how the wrog person was sent to do the job.

[Dems_R_Losers]

So, the New York Times has decided that I had the right to know that the President authorizied perfectly legal surveillance of suspected terrorists, but I did not have the right to know that Joe Wilson was an unqualified blowhard sent by his wife on a business boondoggle to Niger, and a liar when he told Nick Kristof he was sent there by Dick Cheney and his report scuttled? Seems to me that was a pretty damned important piece of information for the public to judge the veracity of Wilson's statements.

Where is the accountability of the New York Times to make such judgments? Who do its editors answer to?

[Purrcival]

I have a gut feeling that Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) is the guilty party!!!

I second that nomination. After finding out that he told Syria about the U.S. plans to invade Iraq -- pssssst! Look for the WMD there! -- I am amazed that this clod still has ANY security clearance.

[gridlock]

Seems to me the public would want to know that one of the major opponents of the Iraq War was lying with every breath and was put up to his shenanigans by the CIA. It seems like relevant information to me.

I guess the New York Times already knew he was lying, so they did not need to be told...

[popdonnelly]

Regarding "Plamegate", "Nigergate", Wilson's trip, and CIA leaks, all roads lead back to the CIA nuclear proliferation office. Put Plame under oath and make her testify.