Jane Hamsher
05.09.2006
Why Does Tim Russert Fear Democrats? Just Ask Patrick Fitzgerald
<<<snip>>>
“I'd like to harken back to what is probably my favorite story I've ever written on. It has to do with a footnote in a Patrick Fitzgerald filing when Russert was fighting tooth and nail to keep from having to answer the Special Counsel's questions. Russert was claiming that the general waiver signed by Scooter Libby was "coerced," and that if he testified his "sources" would never trust him again. To which Fitzgerald said:
It is also relevant to note that Russert has treated an asserted waiver of the reporter's privilege quite differently when convenient. When Richard Clarke published his book Against All Enemies and testified before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the September 11 Commission), Clarke became subject to intense media scrutiny. On March 24, 2004, the White House disclosed Clarke's identity as the "senior administration official" who gave a "background" briefing in August 2002. When Clarke appeared as a guest on Meet the Press on March 28, 2004, Russert noted the White House had been aggressive in attacking Clarke's credibility and had identified Clarke as the source for the background briefing -- without indicating any concern about the "voluntariness" of the waiver, in which Clarke apparently played no role. (Copy of the March 28, 2004, Meet the Press transcript, Exhibit 1). Russert did not hesitate to broadcast out of any concern that such disclosure might chill future background sources.
I just love that tight, brutal paragraph. I have to resurrect it every now and again if only for my own amusement.
Russert screwed over Richard Clarke. Hard. Fitzgerald knew it and he called him on it. Russert was willing to sell out the high journalistic principles he claims to cherish so stalwartly for the party and the access he values even more. He fought relentlessly to keep from helping Fitzgerald (and the public) nail Scooter Libby. How is he going to feel when people like John Conyers (whom he smeared this morning -- and Conyers fires back here) start looking into the all-too-cozy relationship that the press had with the White House in leading the country down the garden path to war?”cont…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/why-does-tim-russert-fear_b_20656.html*shadow government*