Have you seen anything thus far to make you think the President cares how things "play"?
The sad truth about this business is that the press is going to try to present the government in the worst possible light no matter what as long as Republicans are in power.
Appease the press, don't appease them....it won't change their coverage on other issues. Give somebody (or a few somebodies) a solid boot up the butt and their colleagues might think twice about publishing classified information next time. The press needs to learn that there are limits to what they should be publishing....just because someone tells you how to build a nuclear bomb or from what direction we are going to attack the bad guys doesn't mean you get to publish it for all of creation to see. I'm not convinced all of the American press in 2006 understands that, and since we are at war, they need to be reminded before they get someone on our side killed.
Well, obviously we are in agreement about everything that matters. I could argue that narrow point, however. While true President Bush makes big decisions the right way - not a finger in the air guy - that's excellent - this White House is wary of direct confrontations with matters of liberal certitude. Take ethnic profiling for example.
If Justice Department investigation leads to indictments of pressers, which would surprise me, the Administration will play it very, very straight.