TV Newsman (Russert) Is His Own News in the Leak Case

[DoYouEverWonder]

October 31, 2005

On any given Sunday, the cream of Washington officialdom presents itself for confession before Tim Russert, a big, bluff lawyer-turned-journalist who may be the capital's most intimidating interlocutor outside a courtroom or Congress. Vice President Dick Cheney, not a chatty guy, has been his guest no fewer than 10 times since taking office.

But on this particular Sunday, the news compelled Mr. Russert to turn his trademark attention to an atypical topic: himself.

<snip>

For Mr. Russert, who is also NBC's Washington bureau chief, turns out to be a pivotal ear-witness to the only crime so far charged in the inquiry into the disclosure of a C.I.A. agent's classified identity that has consumed the intersecting circles of news organizations and politics in which he has been a prominent player for years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/31/politics/31russert.html?hp&ex=1130821200&en=d2aa3db5fb02b517&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[xchrom]

1. ''intimidating interlocutor''?!?

lol -- hardly.

[Delphinus]

2. Yah, I know.

Sounds like the ol "integrity is for paupers!" guy wrote this up himself.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. And BUREAU CHIEF.

You know what that means? That the "intimidating interlocutor" can be reached by phone by any biggie in the White House. But can anybody else do it?

Why don't we do a test and call NBC and ask for the bureau chief. If they patch us through to Russert directly, the way that they did Libby, then his story pans out.

[goforit]

4. And he glows with pride ear to ear!!!

Self absorbed ass.

[mod mom]

5. Funny, NYT only lists Wilson as former ambassador to Gabon, deciding not

to include his position in Iraq and commendations from H. W. Bu$h. Hmmh.

Of course the big story here is the WH interference in programming. Too f-ing bad that they were not happy with Wilson on Hardball. Wasn''t the press suppose to air both sides of an issue? Oh, thats right... that only occurs in a free society! So in essense, Russert was delivering the comments of his real bosses. We have been right all along. If GE (NBC) wants those "HUGH" defence contracts, they better march in step with the WH.