ABC, NYT, WashPost were NOT wiretapped, they were profoundly spied on...

[originalpckelly]

If you read the ABC story this actually very significant. They have not been wiretapped, they have had their phone records taken and looked at. This gives the same information as if they had been wiretapped however. All the CIA needed to know was who the reporters sources were, and that can definitely be obtained from this information.

Furthermore, this shows the administration is not solely using these phone records to track down terrorists, unless ABC's Brian Ross took a trip to Afghanistan, that we didn't know about :-).

Don't over dramatize this story because the facts themselves are just a damaging.

The official who warned ABC News said there was no indication our phones were being tapped so the content of the conversation could be recorded.

[Missy M]

1. The Bush administration is trying to make it OK by saying....

we only got your phone records, we didn't wire tap, so no big deal. Getting your phone records is just as bad in my opinion.

[originalpckelly]

2. Your absolutely correct...

You can find out who you have called, and in some circumstances that is just as important as actually wiretapping someone.

[warrens]

3. It all depends on if they had a subpoena

Court-sanctioned? OK. A little scary, but OK. Hopefully, the whistleblower is smart enough not to call from his office phone. Amazing what a phone card and a pay phone can do. Unless, of course, they're watching you, in which case nothing will help.