The Infantile Illogic of the New York Times
The New York Times' latest rationalization of their decision to "out" a classified intelligence gathering operation -- the United States' program of monitoring terrorist financial transactions through the SWIFT clearinghouse in Brussels -- is apparently that it was "no big deal" because "everybody knew about it" anyway.
The illogic of this is patent: if "everybody knew about it," why exactly was it on Page 1 above the fold? If "everybody knew about it," what exactly made it newsworthy? Didn't "news" used to mean telling the public something they didn't already know?
This is infantile, truly. But it is also treason. Is there anything else to call deliberate transmission of classified information during wartime for the purpose -- does anyone doubt it? -- of harming the sitting government?
Hey, New York Times news editors... have I got a tip for you! There are apparently numerous highly-placed individuals in the CIA and State Department who, in violation of their oaths, have revealed classified information about our intelligence-gathering techniques during wartime. There are traitors in our midst. Wouldn't that be a "news" story? Wow, I wish I was the reporter who got that tip, I wish I was the reporter who was contacted by these traitors, man, would I want to break that story!
Naaaahhhhh.
UPDATE: The illogic of the NYTimes' position is being widely noticed. Here, from Patterico. Patterico points out that illogic is not the only problem -- Times' writer Eric Lichtblau is apparently either a baldfaced liar or simply stupid.
The illogic of this is patent: if "everybody knew about it," why exactly was it on Page 1 above the fold? If "everybody knew about it," what exactly made it newsworthy? Didn't "news" used to mean telling the public something they didn't already know?
This is infantile, truly. But it is also treason. Is there anything else to call deliberate transmission of classified information during wartime for the purpose -- does anyone doubt it? -- of harming the sitting government?
Hey, New York Times news editors... have I got a tip for you! There are apparently numerous highly-placed individuals in the CIA and State Department who, in violation of their oaths, have revealed classified information about our intelligence-gathering techniques during wartime. There are traitors in our midst. Wouldn't that be a "news" story? Wow, I wish I was the reporter who got that tip, I wish I was the reporter who was contacted by these traitors, man, would I want to break that story!
Naaaahhhhh.
UPDATE: The illogic of the NYTimes' position is being widely noticed. Here, from Patterico. Patterico points out that illogic is not the only problem -- Times' writer Eric Lichtblau is apparently either a baldfaced liar or simply stupid.
posted by PDB at 4:40 PM
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