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07/07/2005: More on "The President and All His Men"
The Messiness of promises by Don Wycliff (Chicago Tribune) has it just right:”… The sky is not falling. The American way of life as we've known it is not coming to an end. Most important, freedom of the press is not about to disappear from these United States, although it will continue to be, as it almost always is, taken for granted and underappreciated by most of those for whose benefit it exists.
Miller, of The New York Times, has gone to jail because she believes that her job as a journalist exempts her from an obligation of citizenship that applies to all but a few other Americans in a few special circumstances: to testify truthfully when called as a witness before a duly constituted federal grand jury.
I happen not to agree with her. I think that even journalists bear that obligation of citizenship, and that if we don't want to get caught up in situations like hers and Time magazine's Matt Cooper's, we need to become far more discriminating about when and to whom we promise anonymity….”
But Good to know the Far Leaning Right always has an answer for everything; As those delusional critics like John at Power Line - With this Single Bald-Faced statement, John has “Answered Everything I Needed or Wanted to KNOW”:"...It is almost certain that no crime was committed by whoever told Novak (and, apparently, other reporters) that Plame works for the CIA. ….”
Does this Mean we can all go home now John? Since YOU in your infinite Wisdom and Crystal-Ball certainty Already KNOW the Outcome of this investigation… And the LAW to Boot???
And if it weren’t such a serious matter, then why (Oh, Why…) Does Find Law report this:”Recently, the White House acknowledged that President Bush is talking with, and considering hiring, a non-government attorney, James E. Sharp. Sharp is being consulted, and may be retained, regarding the current grand jury investigation of the leak revealing the identity of Valerie Plame as a CIA covert operative.
(Plame is the wife of Bush critic and former ambassador Joe Wilson; I discussed the leak itself in a prior column, and then discussed further developments in the investigation in a follow-up column.)
This action by Bush is a rather stunning and extraordinary development. The President of the United States is potentially hiring a private criminal defense lawyer. Unsurprisingly, the White House is doing all it can to bury the story, providing precious little detail or context for the President's action.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Bush explained his action by saying, "This is a criminal matter. It's a serious matter," but he gave no further specifics. White House officials, too, would not say exactly what prompted Bush to seek the outside advice, or whether he had been asked to appear before the grand jury….”
So, hang on to your hats, folks. It's gonna be a bumpy ride for Team Bush when this Version of "All the President's Men" goes to Print.
Karen on 07.07.05 @ 09:47 AM CST
