Talking out of both sides of the microphone

Take a look at this Amicus Brief. It was filed by a consortium of major news media orgs back in March 2005 in support of Matthew Cooper and Judith Miller's appeal case taken before the Supreme Court. Keep in mind they were trying to save their fellow journalists from testifying. Here's a snippet:

There are sufficient facts on the public record that cast considerable doubt as to whether the CIA took the necessary "affirmative measures" to conceal Plame's identity. Indeed, these facts establish such sloppy tradecraft that, at minimum, the CIA was indifferent to the compromise of her identity.

And regards Wilson:

The following facts are public:

* The CIA sent a non-CIA employee, Joseph C. Wilson IV, on a mission to Niger to determine whether Saddam Hussein had tried to purchase "uranium yellow cake," an ingredient for making a non-conventional weapon.

* Wilson had not served in Niger for over two decades, and, unlike his supposedly undercover wife, was not an expert in nuclear weapons.

* Wilson was not required to sign a confidentiality agreement about his mission.

* Wilson was not prevented by the CIA from writing his Op-Ed for The New York Times, an article that not only criticized the Administration, but also detailed his mission and findings.

Now that you've seen the strategy used by the media to defend their own butts, let's hear what Joe had to say today:

"I believe that as Americans we should all be appalled by this sort of behavior from the senior reaches of this administration," said Wilson during an appearance at Washington's National Press Club.

"I don't believe that Mr Rove should be permitted to resign. I believe this is a firing offense," he said.

"To be so cavalier in the handling in the secrets of this great nation really is an abuse of the public trust."

Without further comment.

hat tip Weekly Standard.