Cooper To Testify, Miller To Jail.

Time Magazine reporter Matthew Cooper has said he will testify in the Valerie Plame kerfuffle. There. I always wanted to use that word. Judith Miller says no dice and is heading for the jail cell.

Cooper took the podium in the court and told the judge, "Last night I hugged my son goodbye and told him it might be a long time before I see him again."

"I went to bed ready to accept the sanctions" for not testifying, Cooper said. But he told the judge that not long before his early afternoon appearance, he had received "in somewhat dramatic fashion" a direct personal communication from his source freeing him from his commitment to keep the source's identity secret.

Okay. Meanwhile today marks the 358th day that Robert Novak remains at large. Sources tell me that he is hiding out on CNN, but since nobody watches that particular cable channel anymore, he's probably safe there.

Comments

[Vavoom]

Daniel: How do you feel about the matter? Perhaps you've discussed this before and I missed it?

Personally, I'm glad reporters have to be accountable for their actions. For goodness sakes, they contributed to the revelation of the identity of a CIA agent! Such action puts that agent's life at risk.

As for protecting sources, I support a reporter's ability to do so, but not in cases like this one.

[Daniel]

Honestly, V, sometimes I'm thinking one way and sometimes the other. But this is what strikes me:

If reporters are made to divulge sources routinely, then we do not have a truly independent press.

That said, I find it odd that Novak, for all his obfuscation seems to be sailing along. My only comclusion is that he has already testified. Otherwise, why not go after him?

There has been a discussion raging in the listserv for Media Bloggers about this today. The number of opinions are about equal to the amount of members.

This, let's be clear, is a civil action, not a criminal one. I'm not with the faction that thinks this is tantamount to another Watergate. Yet. But if it can be proved that the "outing of Plame was a vindictive action on the part of the White House, the Off With Their Heads.

I suspect that he truth is something less sinister, and if it is, I think that Miller and Cooper are wasting capital on a silly story.

On principle, I support a reporters right to protect sources. On principle, I support the public's right to know.

So what did he say?

Cooper got clearance from his source. Miller may already have the same but is making a point. Miller should out her source.

Another thing, though. Democrats better be careful. This kind of political gotcha, if that is what it is, almost always ends up with the accusers getting splattered with the dung.

[Daniel]

Let me add this:

At this point Miller is only protecting an amorphous construct of Press Freedom and confidentiality. She is not protecting a source.