I am in complete agreement with your second sentence. And with your overall concern for the politicization of wartime intelligence matters. By any party...
But how can you be so absolutely certain that this leak did not "endanger...sources and methods"? And skip the hooey about "everybody knows NSA, etc.". Of course they do.
But how do you know that no source or method has been compromised by releasing the specific time & date of specifically worded conversations? And that no enemy has not been made more alert to our eavesdropping abilities? And, thus, more difficult to eavesdrop upon.
And if this one does not, how will you determine whether the next leak does, or does not, endanger sources and methods?
Seems to me that a basic security principle has been violated in this case.
Lets just say I understand the system and leave it at that. But in case you have doubts, just wait and see for yourself. If this was a breach that endangered the national security of the United States its sources and methods I would ne going bonkers. So would many other people. If anything comes of this its going to be some low level staffer who will be hung out to dry. Thats if anything comes from it. The message has been delivered by the administration.