A Greenwald showdown?

Interesting NYT piece on Glenn Greenwald, who can be useful after all.

Though I'll support him if the government comes after him in a metada leak investigation--he merely imposed journalism's First Amendment rights on the silence of an important national debate, the latter being the president's sentiment, too--I've seldom been a Greenwald fan. In one camp there are idealists who comprehend little to nothing about practical national-security accommodations, and in the opposing camp there are national-security pragmatists who seem to care little to nothing about ideals. The first camp--the Greenwald camp--is utopic; the second, chilling.

I find no comfort in either. But in the present case Greenwald has a kind of doubled constitutionalism on his side--the First Amendment's press freedom, plus an upholding of the Fourth Amendment's probable cause--which eases me more into his camp than the other.   

Comments

[Peter G]

I fear you may have picked the wrong vocation if your hope was to find comfort. Politics by its very nature is an uncomfortable business.

[gobrooklyn]

Pfftt...Sorry, Obama won't be giving Greenwald his b-day wish. Gov't will go after the leaker. Greenwald will continue to gain old Woodward status until he does/says something stupid to gain current Woodward status. And please don't see my comment as from an Obot. I am not a fan of Greenwald and never have been because of the way he treats people that rightfully and intelligently challenge him. I also don't like the way he plays loose with facts and manipulates the emotions of his readers. If this was David Corn, it'd be another story. But Greenwald? Pfft.

[Robert Lipscomb]

After a couple of weeks of banging the drum for the Greenwalds and Huffingtons of the world and mocking those who dare disagree with them, PM suddenly finds a third way. Dick Morris would be proud. Well played.

[Charlieford]

". . . if the government comes after him . . ."

Not Obama's style. Leave it to the Nixons to attempt to gag the NYT, the Reagans to ban reporters entirely from Grenada, and Bush to lock up Judith Miller.

If whoever's done the leaking in this case has broken the law, they should expect some attention.

I know. Novel concept.

[Peter G]

Gobrooklyn? What do mean "until"? That ship sailed with all the horses from the unlocked barn quite a long time ago.