BILL KELLER ISN'T VERY BRIGHT, or else he thinks you aren't

Instapundit ^ | 06/26/2006 | Glenn Reynolds

[saveliberty]

June 26, 2006

BILL KELLER ISN'T VERY BRIGHT, or else he thinks you aren't. How else to explain this passage in his apologia for the Times' publication of classified information about the terrorist financial surveillance program:

Some of the incoming mail quotes the angry words of conservative bloggers and TV or radio pundits who say that drawing attention to the government's anti-terror measures is unpatriotic and dangerous. (I could ask, if that's the case, why they are drawing so much attention to the story themselves by yelling about it on the airwaves and the Internet.)

I realize that the Times' circulation is falling at an alarming rate, but it hasn't yet reached such a pass that its stories are only noticed when Rush Limbaugh mentions them.

A deeper error is Keller's characterization of freedom of the press as an institutional privilege, an error that is a manifestation of the hubris that has marked the NYT of late. Keller writes: "It's an unusual and powerful thing, this freedom that our founders gave to the press. . . . The power that has been given us is not something to be taken lightly."

The founders gave freedom of the press to the people, they didn't give freedom to the press. Keller positions himself as some sort of Constitutional High Priest, when in fact the "freedom of the press" the Framers described was also called "freedom in the use of the press." It's the freedom to publish, a freedom that belongs to everyone in equal portions, not a special privilege for the media industry. (A bit more on this topic can be found here.)

Characterizing the freedom this way, of course, makes much of Keller's piece look like, well, just what it is -- arrogant and self-justificatory posturing. To quote Keller: "Forgive me, I know this is pretty elementary stuff — but it's the kind of elementary context that sometimes gets lost in the heat of strong disagreements."

Or institutional self-importance. As Hugh Hewitt observes, at the conclusion to a much lengthier critique: "He doesn't have any defense other than his position as editor of a once great newspaper."

And the Constitution does not permit titles of nobility.

UPDATE: Austin Bay comments: "The Times, apparently, told the story because it could and because it thinks it can get away with it."

posted at 07:43 AM by Glenn Reynolds

[saveliberty]

Hat tip - Hugh Hewitt

[saveliberty]

More NYT ping

[Diogenesis]

First Constitutional President: "I want Bill Keller.
I'll hang that traitor if it's the last thing I do on God's earth."

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18 U.S.C. §798. Disclosure of Classified Information.
(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully communicates, furnishes, transmits, or otherwise makes available to an unauthorized person, or publishes, or uses in any manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the detriment of the United States any classified information—
(1) concerning the nature, preparation, or use of any code, cipher, or cryptographic system of the United States or any foreign government; or
(2) concerning the design, construction, use, maintenance, or repair of any device, apparatus, or appliance used or prepared or planned for use by the United States or any foreign government for cryptographic or communication intelligence purposes; or
(3) concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States or any foreign government; or
(4) obtained by the processes of communication intelligence from the communications of any foreign government, knowing the same to have been obtained by such processes—Shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. (b) As used in this subsection (a) of this section—
The term “classified information” means information which, at the time of a violation of this section, is, for reasons of national security, specifically designated by a United States Government Agency for limited or restricted dissemination or distribution; .........
The term “communication intelligence” means all procedures and methods used in the interception of communications and the obtaining of information from such communications by other than the intended recipients;
The term “unauthorized person” means any person who, or agency which, is not authorized to receive information of the categories set forth in subsection (a) of this section, by the President, or by the head of a department or agency of the United States Government which is expressly designated by the President to engage in communication intelligence activities for the United States.

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"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
George Santayana

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[Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin]

I like the the title...

[saveliberty]

He should be wearing the other kind of stripes.

[top 2 toe red]

The advertisers of this rag really should be boycotted...that is the only thing that will get this arrogant, self-elected keeper of the Constitution's attention!

If only we could buy this ahole for what he is worth, and sell him for what he THINKS he's worth...we could retire the national debt!!!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[saveliberty]

:-) Glenn Reynolds doesn't title his posts, but Hugh Hewitt kindly reposted the link and gave it the title of the first sentence.

God Bless Hugh Hewitt and Glenn Reynolds!

[saveliberty]

Good point, but I wonder how we can find out who advertises there without providing remuneration to the NYT?

[saveliberty]

:-) Three times in one day-- very lucky! You are most welcome, Alamo-Girl.

[Dog]

The money quote...

The founders gave freedom of the press to the people, they didn't give freedom to the press.

[FOXFANVOX]

Thanks, [again!] Save. It is well worth the effort to read your link to Hugh Hewitt's full article.

Hewitt gets it; Keller does not!

[saveliberty]

Exactly

[jazusamo]

BTTT

[Dog]

This leak and the NYTimes publishing it ...is so in your face....there will have to be a government push back...and watch the howling from the media then...

[mkjessup]

Nick Berg, a good man (his nutball father notwithstanding), decapitated by that now-dead scumball Zaqawi, and Bill Keller walks around continuing to breathe oxygen and betraying America each and every damn day.

It's true, there is NO justice.

[prairiebreeze]

Let them howl. The public is hugely against this sort of fifth column sedition.

[Hildy]

Actually Michael Barone said it best ... while referring to Keller's handwringing about how they made the decision...Barone asks "Who elected them to make these decisions?" That's all that needs to be said.

[saveliberty]

:-) You're welcome FOXVANVOX! I think it's excellent that Bill Keller is so clueless. I would also point out that the WSJ chose to publish the same classified information and hold them to the same accounting as I would Bill Keller.

[saveliberty]

:-)