Print

Mail

wiki links

Officials tight-lipped with reporters

President George W. Bush's "new type of war" on terrorism has revived tensions between reporters and government officials over secrecy.

Bush laid out ground rules two days after the Sept. 11 attacks: "Let me condition the press this way: Any sources and methods of intelligence will remain guarded in secret. My administration will not talk about how we gather intelligence, if we gather intelligence and what the intelligence says. That's for the protection of the American people. It is important, as we battle this enemy, to conduct ourselves this way."

Administration officials say they are clamping down on information about military movements because the speed with which news travels around the world means crucial details about the US response can fall into the wrong hands.

The Defense Department sched-uled a meeting yesterday to discuss the possible deployment of a media pool to cover any hostilities. Reporters in such pools have covered military actions from Panama to the Gulf War, working in tandem with the Defense Department.

The administration also declined on Monday to release examples of evidence implicating the prime suspect, Osama bin Laden -- despite promises from Secretary of State Colin Powell a day earlier.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the evidence Powell promised must be kept under wraps because it will go to a grand jury investigative panel, which operates in secret, and because the evidence is derived from intelligence, which is classified.

"We just want some kind of broad information ... to show why the United States is so confident that he's the one responsible," said Lawrence McQuillan, White House reporter for USA Today. "I don't want to go telling Pentagon secrets, or reveal the next attack. But I do think a basic openness is essential at a time like this."

"That's what makes us the good guys," he said, referring to the US.

Officials also have not been entirely forthcoming about Bush's consultations with other world leaders as he tries to build a global anti-terrorism coalition. Aides offered vague, upbeat assessments about Bush's talks Monday with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

"Canada's a close NATO ally, obviously, but in terms of what we're talking about with all our friends and allies around the globe in terms of military support, military planning, we're not talking about it," said national security spokesman Sean McCormack.

Joshua Meyrowitz, professor of media studies at the University of New Hampshire, said the current atmosphere gives journalists a chance to bolster their reports with historical context, thereby truly informing the public.

"There should be less of an emphasis on the daily schedule of officials, and what their announcements are. They no longer hide the fact that they are concerned with shepherding and guiding the press," Meyrowitz said.

Fleischer said most Americans support the need to withhold certain information. He told reporters Monday, "I think you all will be the judge, if you believe the government has gone too far."

Journalists, however, said the secrecy makes that job tougher.

"It's something our republic depends upon, journalists playing the role of questioner," said Bob Deans, White House correspondent for Cox Newspapers.
This story has been viewed 1569 times.