Froomkin is particularly good today. I've linked and sent out emails on any number of his subjects today. This particular quote left me with my jaw open.

Froomkin is summarizing how relations between the White House and the press are deteriorating. Many in the press are starting to get a wee bit worried that the administration is hauling them in front of grand juries, demanding polygraph tests and using the FBI to investigate leaks to reporters and the reporters themselves. The ever sharp Bill Keller, Editor of the NY Times had this to say:

" 'There's a tone of gleeful relish in the way they talk about dragging reporters before grand juries, their appetite for withholding information, and the hints that reporters who look too hard into the public's business risk being branded traitors,' said New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller, in a statement responding to questions from The Washington Post. 'I don't know how far action will follow rhetoric, but some days it sounds like the administration is declaring war at home on the values it professes to be promoting abroad.' "

Hey Billy boy, ya think?

Welcome to the party Mr. Keller! Glad it's only taken you some six years or so to wrap your mind around the Bush utter and total contempt for, freedom, personal liberty and the press!

What Bush is doing should come as zero surprise to anyone. After all, he was the secrecy enforcer during daddy's administration. Conservatives have never been shy in explaining how stupid they think the "liberal press" is. Can't you just see it? Rove, Bush, Card, Cheney, (Libby would be there if Fitzy hadn't picked him off) all sitting around the Oval and laughing their asses off at the stupid dolts of the press corpse, gladly taking a glass of champagne at the most recent cocktail party while the shiv is stuck in em'.

Bill Keller's statement only further proves how absolutely clueless these guys are about this lethal game called Nixonian politics. The White House eats them for lunch, and will continue to do so. Even if the press finally does turn on Bush, it may be too late.