Also, the guy playing the Democratic vice presidential candidate on West Wing died. I wonder what this means for the show. How many episodes are in the can?
Remember the days of the Penagon Papers where the NYT said "thanks for your concern, but sorry, no" in respect to printing things that the government argued was a threat to national security? "Bush Secretly Lifted Some Limits on Spying in U.S. After 9/11, Officials Say" tells us about a page or so in:
The White House asked The New York Times not to publish this article, arguing that it could jeopardize continuing investigations and alert would-be terrorists that they might be under scrutiny. After meeting with senior administration officials to hear their concerns, the newspaper delayed publication for a year to conduct additional reporting. Some information that administration officials argued could be useful to terrorists has been omitted.
Prof. Akhil Amar has suggested that "the people" aspect of the Fourth Amendment suggests that even if perhaps judicially allowed in certain situations, certain particularly striking threats to privacy should only be allowed when the people at large -- particularly via juries and legislatures (Congress) -- find it "reasonable." Therefore, this article on the President's unilateral (perhaps -- the article is hazy, even after the year -- with some members of Congress being notified -- that's the key, just like in war, right?) actions is particularly depressing.
I wonder ... like the whole Plame issue, was this known before the election? How long ago was this "year?" Anyway, nice that the NYT decided we can learn about it and all. You know, the part we were allowed to read. Oh, who are these "senior administration officials" that can help papers decide not to print something? Still, it is an important story -- another bit and piece on why the administration is a threat to liberty, particularly given their unilateral tendencies.
Meanwhile, after Eugene McCarthy died, another independent voice did as well -- William Proxmire, best known for the person who replaced Sen. McCarthy and opposed wasteful spending --- a sort of 70s version of John McCain. But, as Wikipedia (and Samantha Power in her book) noted:
From 1967 until 1986, Proxmire gave daily speeches noting the necessity of ratifying The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. After giving this speech every day that the Senate was in session for 20 years, resulting in 3,211 speeches, the convention was ratified by the U.S. Senate by a vote on 83-11 on February 11, 1986.
He also was an early opponent of Vietnam and was an archetype of the mid-Western progressive. His sort of public servant -- including his personal following of his campaign finance reform beliefs -- is well needed these days.