THEY ARE STOOLIES:

"A man or woman of genuine courage would stand up and be identified if what they were leaking were truly in the national interest, no matter what the consequences to them. They would be heroes. Not here. These people are snitches, maneuvering behind the scenes for their own personal or political advantage. Our media manipulate these folks who in turn manipulate our media. It is as far from heroic as one could imagine. These are the very people you wouldn't want with you in a foxhole. In fact, you wouldn't even want to turn your back on them at a cocktail party."

And then there were the devastating comments:

"As much as the press wants to tilt the spin towards the chilling effect, the campaign against the free press they can't hide from the fact that they exposed a working program, in specific detail, that was, according to them, harming no one and had worked to catch terrorists. Thats the reason for the outrage, not some brilliant Rovian PR campaign. Their own article points out how many in our own government, including the C.I.A. did not know all the details, that many of the facts that they printed no one, especially the terrorists, knew about. If everyone knew about it, why was it a front page scoop? If everything was public knowledge, their lame defense tactic, why was there any delay in publishing? Their own article damns the logic of their defense.There was general knowledge of the fact that there was financial tracking but the NYT, LAT gave specific details, specific institutions. If everyone knew why has there been rumblings from Canada and Belgium that since the publication by the NYT that they are considering dropping from the program? Why? Because the press exposed them and now they have to worry about becoming targets. The program worked, it caught terrorists and saved lives, and the press exposed the program and it can never work again. It can't save the lives that it no doubt did before the press wrecked it. And for what. The press itself admits that no harm had been done. They only offer vague worries and doubts. Human life has been traded for vague worries. The Press, someday, will have blood on their hands. I hope their Pulitzer's keep them warm during the funerals."