Traitorgate and the Failure of the New York Times

The most effective and brilliant work being done on the subject of Traitorgate and the failure of the press to cover this story effectively is can be found at k/o. In his most recent post on this subject Kid Oakland deconstructs Judith Miller's New York Times article on her grand jury testimony.

"Judith Miller and her lawyers, in concocting this self-serving exercise in elision and obfuscation, and the editors of the New York Times, in delivering it to their readers, have sent a clear message to the broader public: find a life raft, quick.

A newspaper has no higher obligation to its readers than the timely reporting of the truth. The New York Times just officially said goodbye to all that. Whether we look at Miller's hiding behind her notes, her hiding of her notes, her obfuscation of her sources even as she purported to reveal one, or that misspelled name...Valerie Flame...written on a note pad, but, essentially, according to Miller, signifying nothing...there could hardly be a more sordid or less satisfying outcome to the "paper of record" coming clean. If this is the best they have to offer, and indeed, that seems to be the case, their readers shouldn't be the only ones looking to the life boats."

There is much more in the Kid's post. Miller's selective memory. The legal vetting of her entire article to insure that no fact or truth is unspun to her advantage. The ultimate protection of the Bush Administration lies. And, ultimately the failure of America's most prestigious newspaper to do its job.

"All bets are off. This is the best the New York Times had to offer.

Judith Miller is a con. The NYT, in addition to being her mark, got played to be her shill, apparently, without even knowing it.

If you ask me, that metallic groan you hear tonight is the sound of the Titanic struggling in deep water.

The iceberg, now visible as merely the Miller brouhaha, is that much larger, and more important, story...of Iraq, WMD, the Plame leak, the dealings of the White House Iraq Group and their possible involvement in a cover up...that the New York Times has lost all credibility in covering."

Bravo Kid.