One commenter elsewhere said that Miller’s problem was thus:

Fitz. Did you find out about Plame from Libby?
Mill. No.
Fitz. From whom, then?

Speculatively, this whole deal has been about that second question.

It’s been a rather prominent piece of news, meaning the same source knew it would be very noticed when finally that permission was given. The only assumption that seems reasonable to me is that something changed, but I don’t have any idea what that was.

Novak sure has gotten by with what appears to be a crime, revealing the name of an undercover agent of the U.S.

When I was the ripe young age of 25, a newsroom colleague called me a curmudgeon. Not long after I met my wife, she started telling me repeatedly, “You have a tone.” That was her way of saying I was…

Huh? You mean the group that blew themselves up making homemade bombs?

Anyway, that’s his conjecture…interesting.

Judith Miller is one reporter, who made a decision based on her understanding of her ethical obligations. What’s “all journalism” got to do with it?

Did Stacey Koon drag all police officers through the briar patch? Did O.J. Simpson drag all black males? Did Ken Lay drag all coporate CEO’s?

Why is Miller representative of anything other than herself — one journalist.

The identity of Mark Felt (Deep Throat) was protected for thirty-some years. Civil libertarians feel that Felt was a bad person because in 1978 Felt was indicted for illegal wiretaps (against associates of the harmless group called the Weather Underground). Nevertheless, Woodward and Bernstein are lionized for protecting the identity of their source.

The theory of protecting journalists’ sources goes like this: “Unless we can guarantee anonymity, some sources who are close to important stories will refuse to talk to us for fear of reprisal. Therefore, unless we can protect these sources, many investigative stories will not happen, and wrongdoing in high places will go unreported.”

I find this argument persuasive. When Woodward promised Felt his identity would be kept confidential, Felt had to have confidence that Woodward would keep his promise, and that there was a solid tradition of keeping such promises — jail time notwithstanding.

Yeah, I know, Miller is sympathetic to the neo-con war agenda. So what? Other journalists are sympathetic to the anti-war agenda. And the latter go to jail to protect their sources too.

Regardless Jeff, thanks bringing a voice of reason, fairness and non-hysteria to the discussion. I was supremely impressed that you bolstered your argument by citing: ARIANNA HUFFINGTON (?)