Pressuring the Press

Sean-Paul Kelly at the Agonist makes an interesting point about the "scandalous" leak of the bank records story: the criticisms, you'll note, are about the publication of the story, even though the story is not that significant nor does it jeopardize national security. Terrorists are well aware of SWIFT and this is something that NY Times editor Bill Kellor notes, as well. The story hardly revealed a big secret but this still gives Cheney a vehicle by which to critcise the press for their "treasonous" behaviour. In other words, it is an exercise, which the White House been constantly pursuing since the early days, in suppression of the press, hoping that more self-cernsorship will result. This familiar refrain has been echoed by both Bush and Cheney over this story. Shut the hell up!

The news media take it upon themselves to disclose vital national security programs, thereby making it more difficult for us to prevent future attacks against the American people.

-- Cheney,
June 23, 2006

the disclosure of this program is disgraceful. We're at war with a bunch of people who want to hurt the United States of America, and for people to leak that program and for a newspaper to publish it does great harm to the United States of America.

-- Bush,
June 26, 2006