Leonard Downie: Obama’s war on leaks undermines investigative journalism

Washington Post ^ | May 23, 2013 | Leonard Downie

[Second Amendment First]

For the past five years, beginning with his first presidential campaign, Barack Obama has promised that his government would be the most open and transparent in American history. Recently, while stating that he makes “no apologies” for his Justice Department’s investigations into suspected leaks of classified information, the president added that “a free press, free expression and the open flow of information helps hold me accountable, helps hold our government accountable and helps our democracy function.” Then, in his National Defense University speech Thursday, Obama said he was “troubled by the possibility that leak investigations may chill the investigative journalism that holds government accountable.”

But the Obama administration’s steadily escalating war on leaks, the most militant I have seen since the Nixon administration, has disregarded the First Amendment and intimidated a growing number of government sources of information — most of which would not be classified — that is vital for journalists to hold leaders accountable. The White House has tightened its control over officials’ contacts with the news media, and federal agencies have increasingly denied Freedom of Information Act requests on the grounds of national security or protection of internal deliberations.

The secret and far-reaching subpoena and seizure of two months of records for 20 Associated Press phone lines and switchboards — used by more than 100 AP reporters in three news bureaus and the House of Representatives — is especially chilling for journalists and their sources.

[Second Amendment First]

But reporters covering the Obama administration say more and more officials will no longer talk at all and refer them to uncommunicative or even hostile and bullying press aides. “The White House doesn’t want anyone leaking,” said one senior Washington correspondent who, like others, described a tight, difficult-to-penetrate inner circle that controls the administration’s decisions and micromanages its message. “There are few windows on decision-making and governing philosophy. There is a perception that Obama himself has little regard for the news media.”

Continuing what worked so successfully during two presidential election campaigns, Obama and his administration have instead engaged citizens directly through social media, friendly bloggers, radio and video. It amounts to the White House reporting on itself, presenting an appearance of greater openness while avoiding penetrating questions from journalists who have the knowledge and experience to do meaningful accountability reporting. The administration’s media manipulation extends even to photography: Professional photojournalists are banned from many White House events and presidential activities; only approved images of Obama taken by a White House photographer are supplied to the news media.

[Second Amendment First]

There is a perception that Obama himself has little regard for the news media.

There is a perception that a pimp has little regard for his whores.

[FlingWingFlyer]

“Investigative journalism”? What’s that? 95% of the “journalists” in this country are clueless that their are four major scandals going on right now in this administration. Scandals that would have already brought down a Republican administration.

[refermech]

If he’s so damned troubled by it why didn’t they think about it in the first place? Answer, they don’t give a damn.

[Diogenesis]

The DNC supported slavery ... against Lincoln,
and STILL supports BOTH al Qaeda
(giving them MANPADs, WMD, and Fast&Furious weaponry)
and slavery worldwide.

This odious tyranny is nothing compared to that abomination.

[wideawake]

The Bush administration fought leaks by disciplining the leakers in their own ranks.

The Obama administration fights leaks by violating the constitutional rights of the leakees.

[Grampa Dave]

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV?id=%7B4B9DF05A-F065-4D80-8712-2539697603D1%7D&title=Obama-07-An-Attorney-General-Should-Not-Be-Carrying-Out-Political-Vendettas-Of-the-President

[OpusatFR]

It isn’t a war on leaks.

It is a war on investigative journalism.

It is a war on anyone who finds out anything that disagrees with the narrative.

It is a war on journalists who at this point appear to be so dazed and dazzled by this very evident attempt to undermine and destroy the free media.

The media is complicit in creating itself into a propaganda arm of the Progressives. They have no one to blame but themselves at this point.

[TurboZamboni]

“No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is, therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions.”

—Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Tyler, 1804

[RedMDer]

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[SunkenCiv]

s/b Obama’s war on investigative journalism promotes leaks

Thanks Second Amendment First.

[GOPJ]

Thanks

[GOPJ]

Obama administration’s steadily escalating war on leaks, the most militant I have seen since the Nixon administration, has disregarded the First Amendment and intimidated a growing number of government sources of information — most of which would not be classified — that is vital for journalists to hold leaders accountable. The White House has tightened its control over officials’ contacts with the news media, and federal agencies have increasingly denied Freedom of Information Act requests on the grounds of national security or protection of internal deliberations.

With Obama it must be 'WATCH THE ACTIONS' not the words. He knows all the right words, the right phrases, the feelings that calm us - like some con artists pulling us in....