Howard Kurtz

I like to carp about Kurtz frequently, even though I still read his blog every day. So, naturally, reading this caused a spontaneous barked "ha!"

Marie Arana: Just for the record: When I made my comments about what troubled me about the newsroom in my critique of Sept. 29, I read about them later in Howie's column. In China. A WSJ reporter gave me the heads up. I had no warning whatsoever and Howie made no attempt to clear my comments for publication.

I'll dig up the link and the attribution when I get around to it.
Update: Via mediabistro, via Unclaimed Territory, via Digby.

Deliberately misled

Iraq Dogs President as He Crosses Asia to Promote Trade

Standing Thursday with President Roh Moo Hyun of South Korea, Mr. Bush leapt on a question about the charges that he had manipulated prewar intelligence. "I expect there to be criticism, but when Democrats say that I deliberately misled the Congress and the people, that's irresponsible," he said, as Mr. Roh looked on silently.

Does Bubble Boy realize how far down he is? Does he realize that the words "I deliberately misled the Congress and the people" should not be coming from his mouth, even in denial?

As someone smarter than me pointed out, people remember the affirmative, not the denial. People will hear "I deliberately misled the Congress and the people," and forget the qualifiers.

I won't tell him if you won't.

All the news from Libby's defense lawyers

New Disclosure Could Prolong Inquiry on Leak

The revelation left the special prosecutor, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, grappling with an unexpected new twist - one that he had not uncovered in an exhaustive inquiry - and gave lawyers for I. Lewis Libby Jr., Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff and the only official charged with a crime, fresh evidence to support his defense.

Dear NYT reporters:

Step away from the defense lawyers! They cannot offer you any useful information! Take two steps backwards, and if necessary, cover your ears and go na-na-na-na!

If you must take note the defense lawyers tortured logic, for the love of the dying gods of journalism, please make a point of saying, "this is what they think is going to get their guy off."

Thank you.

End snark. The article does balance out this nonsense in later paragraphs. But, they still put the above silliness in paragraph 2, and the balancing paragraphs don't appear until around paragraph 30.

UPDATE: Breaking news! It has been revealed that there were at least two other conversations in June 2003 between administration officials and journalists that WERE NOT mentioned by Fitzgerald in the indictment or at his press conference! It is not known what was discussed in those conversations, but it is clear that they took place, and that Fitzgerald failed to mention them. This raises additional questions: is Fitzgerald a drooling incompetent, and will he now be forced to drop the charges against Libby and issue a public apology in the Rose Garden, naked except for a red and white Santa hat?

Et tu, Woodward?

Woodward Was Told of Plame More Than Two Years Ago

It would also make Woodward, who has been publicly critical of the investigation, the first reporter known to have learned about Plame from a government source.

Dear bloggers of all things Plame:

You know all that ire you were directing at Russert for not being forthcoming about his role in the Plame leak? And how, from the Libby indictment, he seems to have had no role other than to have been used by Libby as an alibi?

Please re-direct all that ire to Woodward.

All due respect to his storied career, but this mealy-mouthed fuck has been belittling the investigation, while knowingly sitting on relevant information.

How fitting that one of the most famous, lionized figures in the history of journalism is now shown to be one of the in-bed figures in the Plame leak. Here is your meta-story about journalism over the past 30 years: The guy who worked from the outside to reveal the dirty secrets of the Nixon administration, years later becomes one of the guys on the inside who works to conceal the dirty secrets of the Bush II administration.

Our freedoms

Detainees Deserve Court Trials

As I listened, I wished the senators could meet my client Adel.

Adel is innocent. I don't mean he claims to be. I mean the military says so.

Via firedoglake.

Shorter Rich Lowry

The administration may have lied, but what about the stupid asses who believed the lies? They sure are stupid. And asses.

Link to "The Gullible Party," if you are feeling masochistic.

Via Howard Kurtz, who felt this commentary was so worthwhile that he included it in his blog today.