In other words, one should be responsible for his actions and bear consequences.
It is a conservative language, its foreign for NYT.
The reason 60 Minutes, Dan Rather, and the New York Times can't come after us (bloggers) is because they are constrained by law. We're private citizens. They come after us and we'll sue their pants off -- and that's what the press care about. Will they be sued and will they be sued successfully?
There's two standards established by the courts - one for people who hold themselves out to the public, "public figures" -- just about anything can be said about them -- and an almost opposite standard for private citizens. Say something negative about a private citizen in print and it'll cost millions.
Have you noticed that beat cops are almost never quoted in a newspaper? Lots of them would make great copy - they'll say outrageous things - but below a certain rank, they're considered private citizens and if the paper makes them look bad, they sue. And sue successfully.
That Pinch can published classified material without consequences is a mistake. That he can publish classified material is an established reality - and I support that - but that he can publish without being sued or jailed or hung for treason is an outrage. I have no desire to "guilt trip" the press - not that it work anyhow - but I don't want to live in a world where the beat cop has more legal protection from the ravages of the press than the people charged with protecting national security.