Monday, June 26, 2006
Tough to Improve on
Hugh Hewitt takes apart Bill Keller's letter to the readers, his apology for violating the Espionage Act.
I have one tiny addition.
Hugh quotes Keller and chides his poor writing here:
The Administration case for holding the story had two parts, roughly speaking:first that the program is good--that it is legal, that there are safeguards against abuse of privacy, and that it has been valuable in deterring and prosecuting terrorists. And, second, that exposing this program would put its usefulness at risk.
I'd add: So the Administration asked us not to reveal a secret, legal program with safeguards that was effective and that would be less effective if exposed; and we said, "Naaah"
Also see the condensed version from Paul at Wizbang:
Dear Reader:
1) We have no reason to believe the program was illegal in any way.
2) We have every reason to believe it was effective at catching terrorists.
3) We ran the story anyway, screw you.
Bill Keller
I have one tiny addition.
Hugh quotes Keller and chides his poor writing here:
The Administration case for holding the story had two parts, roughly speaking:first that the program is good--that it is legal, that there are safeguards against abuse of privacy, and that it has been valuable in deterring and prosecuting terrorists. And, second, that exposing this program would put its usefulness at risk.
I'd add: So the Administration asked us not to reveal a secret, legal program with safeguards that was effective and that would be less effective if exposed; and we said, "Naaah"
Also see the condensed version from Paul at Wizbang:
Dear Reader:
1) We have no reason to believe the program was illegal in any way.
2) We have every reason to believe it was effective at catching terrorists.
3) We ran the story anyway, screw you.
Bill Keller
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 8:35 AM 
