Fallout continues
Friday's disclosure by several newspapers, led by The New York Times, but including both The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times, of a classified program that has been highly successful in capturing terrorists worldwide isn't dying down in the blogosphere.
Los Angeles Times subscribers Patrick Frey and Mark Danzinger have canceled their subscriptions over the disclosures.
There wasn't too much discussion of the story in the Union-Tribune newsroom, although one individual was overheard complaining about Vice President Dick Cheney's attack on the media for publishing the story. "He shouldn't be mad at us (the media)," the person said. "He should be mad at the person who leaked it."
Frankly, it was a little hard to believe what I was hearing. All of the sudden, the vaunted Fourth Estate had become nothing more than an Internet message board. "No, we've no responsibility for what we publish. It's not our fault. Don't shoot the messenger."
Bolshevik Storytelling.
Ace has a rather interesting take on the mindset behind the decision to leak this story.
The left continues to undermine national security in the most despicable, cynical way. I'm quite sure the reasonable liberals at the NYT and WaPo know full well that programs like this are absolutely vital, and their secrecy is likewise vital. However, they have made the most anti-American and evil sort of decision: While tools like this are vital for saving American lives, they will not permit any Republican President to use them. Only Democratic Presidents are permitted to employ the full panoply of powers for protecting American lives.
It's blackmail, pure and simple. Either let a Democrat into the White House, or we will continue to sabotage American security and, in effect, kill Americans. We will keep secrets when a Democrat is in office, but not a Republican. So we offer the American people a choice: Let the politicians we favor run the country, or we will help Al Qaeda murder you.
Frankly, I'm not sure that these reporters have thought it through to that logical conclusion. Yes, Bush Derangement Syndrome is real. Yes, it affects journalists too. But I'll stick with my belief that these people simply don't believe that this is a real war we're fighting.
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Frankly, what Ace is saying is just as much Bolshie Storymongering as what the guy in your newsroom pouted about. I would humbly submit for your consideration that the NYT/WaPo/U-T and others would help out John McCain or Rudy Giuliani on the GWOT as they would any Democrat. Why? Quite simply: Both McCain and Giuliani cultivate MSM sources and personalities.
Some time ago, the MSM came to the belief that Bush considers them to be just another special interest group, and that the administration would treat them accordingly. It's that sort of standoffishness that is leading to this current crisis, and one that will not be resolved until 1/20/09.