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Chinasaur · Oct 15, 2004, 10:58 AM

http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/10/...es/rich16.html

Toothsome quote - "The fundamental right of Americans, through our free press, to penetrate and criticize the workings of our government is under attack as never before," William Safire wrote in The Times last month.

Course, I'm sure there are some who will say the Internation Herald Tribune in the UK is a mouthpiece for the Dems

djohnson · Oct 15, 2004, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by Chinasaur:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/10/...es/rich16.html

Toothsome quote - "The fundamental right of Americans, through our free press, to penetrate and criticize the workings of our government is under attack as never before," William Safire wrote in The Times last month.

Course, I'm sure there are some who will say the Internation Herald Tribune in the UK is a mouthpiece for the Dems

What is the Internation Herald Tribune?

chris v · Oct 15, 2004, 11:03 AM

Nixon was a Massachusetts Liberul� compared to Bush. He did love his secrecy, though.

OreoCookie · Oct 15, 2004, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by djohnson:
What is the Internation Herald Tribune?

You really haven't been around, have you?

SimeyTheLimey · Oct 15, 2004, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by Chinasaur:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/10/...es/rich16.html

Toothsome quote - "The fundamental right of Americans, through our free press, to penetrate and criticize the workings of our government is under attack as never before," William Safire wrote in The Times last month.

Course, I'm sure there are some who will say the Internation Herald Tribune in the UK is a mouthpiece for the Dems

If you go back and actually read the article that Safire quote came from, you will see the context. Here it is (in sindication).

What Safire is talking about is the attempt by prosecutors to get his colleague Bill Novak to reveal who leaked the name of Valerie Plame to the press. Prosecutors are trying to get that information because leaking Plame's name to the press may have been a violation of the law. Many journalists like to claim a privilege under the First Amendment against revealing their sources. Unfortunatly for them, the courts disagree.

Safire is drawing an analogy to the Nixon Administration firing Leon Jaworsky in the Watergate coverup, but frankly, his analogy is weak. The prosecutors in the Plame affair are probably working to uncover a coverup, not produce one. Safire is simply projecting his professional biases as a journalist in favor of a special right that journalists in fact do not have.

olePigeon · Oct 15, 2004, 01:15 PM

Except that Nixon was a genius when it comes to foreign policy. Bush has trouble pointing out where Canada is.

DBursey · Oct 15, 2004, 01:18 PM

Canada is easy to miss ... all tucked away down there ...

Chinasaur · Oct 19, 2004, 11:00 AM

Slimey,

Its NOT "may have been a violation of the law". It is a FELONY offense to reveal the name of a covert operative. It was ILLEGAL. A BUSH ADMIN official leaked the name. That is a FEDERAL OFFENSE.

BTW, it's spelled syndication.

SimeyTheLimey · Oct 19, 2004, 11:07 AM

Originally posted by Chinasaur:
Slimey,

Its NOT "may have been a violation of the law". It is a FELONY offense to reveal the name of a covert operative. It was ILLEGAL. A BUSH ADMIN official leaked the name. That is a FEDERAL OFFENSE.

BTW, it's spelled syndication.

No, the statute is not that simple, and no court has yet ruled on whether or not any law has been broken. Until then, "may have been a violation of the law" is a correct statement.

In any case, your screaming capitals only underscore my point. Prosecutors are trying to find out who may have committed this "FEDERAL OFFENSE." Safire wants the media to have the right to shield the person who may have committed this "FEDERAL OFFENSE." He seems to think that the First Amendment gives them a privilege to protect their sources when their sources commit crimes. He's wrong. Because he is wrong, his analogy to the Nixon Administration is specious.

SimeyTheLimey · Oct 19, 2004, 11:10 AM

Originally posted by olePigeon:
Except that Nixon was a genius when it comes to foreign policy. Bush has trouble pointing out where Canada is.

Oh come on. Anyone knows how to point to Canada. You just take your hand, make a fist, elevate your middle finger and point it straight up. You will then be accurately pointing to our neighbor to the north.

Sven G · Oct 19, 2004, 12:08 PM

Bush and Nixon have at least one dramatic thing in common: they are both of the - preemptive - "war criminal" kind. IMHO...

DBursey · Oct 19, 2004, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Oh come on. Anyone knows how to point to Canada. You just take your hand, make a fist, elevate your middle finger and point it straight up. You will then be accurately pointing to our neighbor to the north.

Simey, such a tawdry remark is unbecoming of you! Tsk.

Shaddim · Oct 19, 2004, 01:02 PM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Oh come on. Anyone knows how to point to Canada. You just take your hand, make a fist, elevate your middle finger and point it straight up. You will then be accurately pointing to our neighbor to the north.

Bravo! *applause*

SimeyTheLimey · Oct 19, 2004, 01:03 PM

Originally posted by DBursey:
Simey, such a tawdry remark is unbecoming of you! Tsk.

But it is fun occasionally.

chris v · Oct 19, 2004, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Oh come on. Anyone knows how to point to Canada. You just take your hand, make a fist, elevate your middle finger and point it straight up. You will then be accurately pointing to our neighbor to the north.

That's it! No Flu shot for you, buster.

DBursey · Oct 19, 2004, 01:13 PM

Keep it up, though. There are still so many Canadians who've yet to be completely alienated from and disillusioned with their erstwhile southern ally (presumably from the ranks of those who didn't catch GWB's speech to the joint sessions of congress back in the fall of '01).