Missing the Point
Missing the Point
What the Valerie Plame Case is Really About
With all the reporting recently surrounding the White House leak scandal (who will be indicted, when and what for), I think the majority of American’s have missed the real story here. How did we allow ourselves to get deceived into a war?
If the word deception seems too harsh, I can only say it is the most civil one I can think of to describe what happened. Reading the reports it becomes obvious that there was a mind set inside the White House to embark on the current war regardless of Iraq’s connection, or should I say lack of connection to WMD, Al Qaeda, or September 11. The fact that our government leaders were determined to set out on this path and were willing to use propaganda, deception, and baseless personal attacks on those who would oppose them certainly warrants them the lion’s share of the blame for the current debacle. But, this being a republic, we the people must be held to a degree of accountability for allowing it to happen and so far I’m just not seeing it. If we were holding ourselves accountable one would expect to see people reacting with outrage, demanding accountability for our government’s actions and the press that abetted it through a lack of critical journalism. Instead we wait for legal actions on what really amounts to a minor side issue in the struggle to maintain our democracy.
The current coverage of the Judith Miller / New York Times story is one of the most glaring examples of our lack of learning from our mistakes. While the Times’ editors have expressed regret for failing to keep tighter reins on her they still continue to employ her and, as far as I know, are still picking up her legal bills. Where’s the outrage? Let’s recall that it was Miller’s reporting that help make case for Iraq in the first place. She failed to vet and then accepted as fact information from dubious sources (remember Chalabi?). She then accepted propaganda from WH sources without ever questioning their motives or investigating competing claims. Taking all this misinformation together she than published a series of articles definitively claiming that Iraq had reconstituted its WMD program.
Well, when the Times’ editors figured out that they had been duped did they immediately issue a retraction and hold Miller accountable? No, they kept quite about for a year because, as Executive Editor Bill Keller put it, they felt it occurred to close to their last reporting scandal. Not only that, they continued to allow Miller to conduct investigative reporting without any assurances that she had changed her ways. It is my honest opinion that Miller would have burned the Times again with false accusations about Joseph Wilson if Novak hadn’t scooped the lie first. Yet, Judith Miller still picks up her paycheck and forwards her legal bills to the Times and nary a reader can be found to demand accountability.
Our founders knew that an informed public, acting out of studied reason would be the only guarantee of a continuing democracy. They also understood the importance of the fourth estate in maintaining an informed public and gave the press special recognition when they constructed the Bill of Rights. But, with this special standing comes responsibility. They have the responsibility to check sources and verify information so as not to be used as a tool for political operatives. The Times failed in this responsibility and the parties involved need to be held accountable.
What the Valerie Plame Case is Really About
With all the reporting recently surrounding the White House leak scandal (who will be indicted, when and what for), I think the majority of American’s have missed the real story here. How did we allow ourselves to get deceived into a war?
If the word deception seems too harsh, I can only say it is the most civil one I can think of to describe what happened. Reading the reports it becomes obvious that there was a mind set inside the White House to embark on the current war regardless of Iraq’s connection, or should I say lack of connection to WMD, Al Qaeda, or September 11. The fact that our government leaders were determined to set out on this path and were willing to use propaganda, deception, and baseless personal attacks on those who would oppose them certainly warrants them the lion’s share of the blame for the current debacle. But, this being a republic, we the people must be held to a degree of accountability for allowing it to happen and so far I’m just not seeing it. If we were holding ourselves accountable one would expect to see people reacting with outrage, demanding accountability for our government’s actions and the press that abetted it through a lack of critical journalism. Instead we wait for legal actions on what really amounts to a minor side issue in the struggle to maintain our democracy.
The current coverage of the Judith Miller / New York Times story is one of the most glaring examples of our lack of learning from our mistakes. While the Times’ editors have expressed regret for failing to keep tighter reins on her they still continue to employ her and, as far as I know, are still picking up her legal bills. Where’s the outrage? Let’s recall that it was Miller’s reporting that help make case for Iraq in the first place. She failed to vet and then accepted as fact information from dubious sources (remember Chalabi?). She then accepted propaganda from WH sources without ever questioning their motives or investigating competing claims. Taking all this misinformation together she than published a series of articles definitively claiming that Iraq had reconstituted its WMD program.
Well, when the Times’ editors figured out that they had been duped did they immediately issue a retraction and hold Miller accountable? No, they kept quite about for a year because, as Executive Editor Bill Keller put it, they felt it occurred to close to their last reporting scandal. Not only that, they continued to allow Miller to conduct investigative reporting without any assurances that she had changed her ways. It is my honest opinion that Miller would have burned the Times again with false accusations about Joseph Wilson if Novak hadn’t scooped the lie first. Yet, Judith Miller still picks up her paycheck and forwards her legal bills to the Times and nary a reader can be found to demand accountability.
Our founders knew that an informed public, acting out of studied reason would be the only guarantee of a continuing democracy. They also understood the importance of the fourth estate in maintaining an informed public and gave the press special recognition when they constructed the Bill of Rights. But, with this special standing comes responsibility. They have the responsibility to check sources and verify information so as not to be used as a tool for political operatives. The Times failed in this responsibility and the parties involved need to be held accountable.
posted by M. Tully | 6:33 AM
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