Digby wonders what many of us have been wondering -- did Bob Woodward jump in to save Scooter Libby?
The indictment shows that Libby learned of and discussed Plame's identity from a bunch of people other than Woodward, so it doesn't change the fundamentals of the case. But they can put Woodward on the stand and grill him about whether he might have told Libby about Plame's wife and muddy the waters. If it can be believed that Woodward ever brought up Plame to Libby, it bolsters his "dazed and confused" defense. I continue to wonder if Woodward didn't bring up his involvement just for that purpose.
Well, me too, Digby. Media Matters takes Woodward on, too:
Responding to concerns about his objectivity given the close relationships he cultivated with senior Bush administration officials while researching the book, Woodward said that the book "has some pretty tough stuff in it. At the same time, the president or others [in the government] get to express their point of view." He added: "I believe that's journalism."
But what Woodward was actually allowing his administration sources to do was something far more problematic: Under the guise of expressing their "point of view," administration officials were given a forum in which to make numerous questionable and even categorically false statements about the Iraq war, without refutation. In many instances, Woodward knew or should have known of evidence that undermined or refuted their "views."
And Media Matters goes on to explore three "flagrant examples" of selling the Administration's point of view in Woodward's Plan of Attack.
I don't think our serious problem with lying in the Bush administration can be separated from the lying (because that's what it comes down it) in some of what used to be our most admired media. I believe the trouble the media are in now has been caused deliberately by the Bush administration but MSM fell into the trap willingly.
I said it in an earlier post about the Rendon Group, and I'll say it again: "The picture of a credulous, ambitious media, huge egos, and how they served an manipulative regime is emerging."
If we want to stop this, we're going to have to stop buying media or we -- that's you and me, friend -- will continue to be complicit in the lies and cover-ups even as we think we pride ourselves on fighting them.
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