CIA Operative Story - How Will It Affect the Media?

[Justice]

How will this story affect the media? Will they look bad, or pathetic?

We say the media is biased (conservative bent), is lazy (not investigating, just taking dictation), and has grown too fond of living among the rich and powerful. Will this story shake them up?

At least 6 reporters were contacted by the WH regarding Joe Wilson's wife. Did the WH try to set them up? More than 1 reporter called Joe Wilson about the story after talking with the WH - so Wilson knows who some of 6 are. My bet is that these reporters will be all Washington beat, political types - high profile, well-known names at ABC, NBC, CNN and maybe even Faux (it will be interesting to see if any are from Faux). I've heard Russert and Mitchells frostily say they don't reveal sources (Mitchell tried the Novak technique of saying not important - what she was aware of was not relevant to the story and thus was part of the story).

Novak printed the information, so he is in the hot seat. Other reporters did not print the info - are they heroes or villians? These other reporters have evidence of a crime - that a person leaked the name of a CIA operative. These other reporters will be investigated - perhaps some identified by Joe Wilson - perhaps determined by call logs or otherwise identified by the DOJ.

These other reporters had evidence of a crime but did not report it. The crime was that a WH person called them and leaked this information. Isn't just getting the call about the operative itself a story? Why did no reporter report that story? Why are these reporters clamming up now?

Are these reporters tarnished? Were they patsies? Were they in on it? Did they know it was a crime, and were they covering up for the WH (who apparently was too vengeful to consult the US Code?) Did they not realize the criminal part? Do they feel used? Will this scandal affect the way that the media interacts with the WH - will there be a cooling off of the cozy relationship? Will we have fewer pundits and more reporters, more facts and less spin?

[pretzel4gore]

1. many of them are cia themselves....

andrea mitchel and novak obviously, but russert and too many others to mention!
mygod, the bfee SS has an unlimited budget; and people marvel at the media being whores?