That's a pretty amazing admission on Novak's part - too bad it'll never be used against Rove who always seems to come out smelling like a rose no matter how deep in the cess pool he's been. Interesting timing on Novak's part too. He'll be able to claim that he's "toeing the line" regarding Dubya's proposed "journalists must cooperate" idea while not admitting anything damaging to the Party under oath. (
edited to capitalize the word Party, comrade)
In light of this entire fiasco (and considering the Plame affair as a security leak of a traitorous magnitude), I thought these bits might also be interesting.
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"It's true that Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., wants an investigation and prosecution of the Times on charges of treason, and that some bloggers and others say hip, hip, hurrah to the idea, but the administration itself isn't having any. As is the case with most critics and congressional Republicans, the administration has gone no further than to say the Times made an outrageously bad judgment call weakening a program that has saved lives by thwarting terrorist ambitions. The unavoidable conclusion, as voiced in a resolution of the House, is that the Times and other papers that joined in breaking the story put lives at risk."
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_9061.shtml
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"In the post-World War II period, America was seen by many as the "City on the Hill," an imperfect yet nonetheless shining beacon of government of, by and for the people. Yet President George W. Bush's harsh criticisms of the New York Times and other media outlets over their reportage of covert and potentially illegal spying programs underscores once again the degree to which a major crack has appeared in America's democratic edifice.
The Bush administration's reasoning is founded on a twisted form of Catch-22 logic. The rules of that logic go something like this:
1. This war on terrorism is our new Cold War...it will last a generation or two.
2. Because we are at war it is necessary to engage in certain behaviors -- renditions, torture, domestic surveillance, secret prisons.
3. We cannot tell you what we are doing because it will compromise national security during a time of war.
4. The courts cannot review what we are doing because it will compromise national security during a time of war.
5. Any newspaper reporter or news outlet that reports a leak of these programs can be put under oath and forced to reveal sources, under threat of going to jail for contempt."
6. . . .
http://www.mediachannel.org/features/2006/06/30/affalert432.shtml
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On the bright side, I feel like a young man again! Who knew an unpopular war, an inept President, a besieged Press, Conservatives pushing prayer in schools and war crimes could make anyone feel 19?
