"If they can’t grasp this simple issue, do you think it is possible that the New York Times and the LA Times are missing the point in complex issues like Iraq?…energy policy?…border control?…taxes?…WMD?…terrorism?"

From comment number five here.

Between the Hiltzik story and the continual attempt to link the McCarthy treachery to Scooter Libby, I can't recall a week in which the bias and incompetence of the biggest papers in the country was so glaringly on display.

"Treachery"?

Her lawyer says that she didn't even _know_ about the secret CIA prisons. But you've already decided that she's scum.

OK, "alleged treachery." Happy now?

Illegally releasing classified information, be it about secret CIA prisons or anything else, is in my opinion treachery.

As opposed, Jim, to all the lawyers who say, "My client did it! Yup! Guilty as sin!"

At this point the only charge is unauthorized contact with reporters (which McCarthy has admitted). The government has not accused her of illegally leaking anything.

Illegally releasing classified information, be it about secret CIA prisons or anything else, is in my opinion treachery.

It's treachery against the government practically by definition... but so was the Declaration of Independence. Loyalty to people who are themselves treacherous (in this case against the Bill of Rights) is not a virtue. That's why our government passed whistleblower protection laws, back when we thought that outspoken "traitors" would just need protection against corporate retaliation.