Why is the Times absent from the list and how does it benefit them if this is still viewed as a crime even when most media outlets know it isn't? Seems they can't continue to pretend Rove did anything wrong so it looks like they're trying to accomplish some damage control.
Good question, and I haven't conjured up a hypothetical reason. They had to know the brief was being prepared, and their omission reflects a conscious decision. Perhaps they didn't want to taint a planned future story that Rove had committed a crime by arguing ahead of time that a 2003 disclosure of Plame's employer was not criminal.
... how does it benefit them if this is still viewed as a crime even when most media outlets know it isn't?
If a crime was committed, then NYT looks like a genius for not signing up to an argument that no crime was committed.
Seems they can't continue to pretend Rove did anything wrong so it looks like they're trying to accomplish some damage control.
NYT is really good at pretending. Facts are no obstacle whatsoever.