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Woodward Downplayed CIA Leak Case Despite Involvement
A Debate: Does Wal-Mart Work or is it a High Cost for Low
Price?
Woodward Downplayed CIA Leak Case Despite Involvement
Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward was told of Valerie
Plame's identity in June of 2003 - before Judith Miller or
any other reporter. Woodward never reported this in the pages
of the Washington Post and only mentioned it to his editors
last month. We speak with Steve Clemons, editor of the popular
news blog, The Washington Note. [includes rush
transcript]
The White House is bracing for a possible expansion of the
CIA leak investigation that took down Vice President Cheney's
chief of staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby.
Libby was indicted three weeks ago on five counts of perjury,
obstruction of justice and making false statements.
The indictment came down after Special Prosecutor Patrick
Fitzgerald accused Libby of telling New York Times reporter
Judy Miller about the identity of undercover CIA operative
Valerie Plame and then lying to investigators about what happened.
Plame is the wife of former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson.
The investigation had appeared to be slowing down until this
week. But the investigation has taken a surprise turn.
On Monday - Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald questioned
Washington Post editor and best selling author Bob Woodward
for two hours. Until now Woodward - who is best known for
breaking the Watergate story - had no known role in the CIA
leak case. He actually appeared frequently as a TV commentator
downplaying the severity of the leak. At one point he called
Fitzgerald a "junkyard dog prosecutor" and also
claimed there was no criminal White House effort to "out"
the CIA agent.
But it turns out that Woodward was a central figure in the
story. He was told of Plame's identity 29 months ago in June
of 2003 before Miller or any other reporter. Woodward never
reported this in the pages of the Washington Post and only
mentioned it to his editors last month.
The revelation raises new questions about the status of the
investigation and whether Fitzgerald will seek any other indictments.
Questions are also being raised about Woodward and his style
of reporting.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Woodward has been given
unusual autonomy in the Washington Post newsroom as he writes
a trilogy of books about the Bush administration. He is free
to report for his numerous books but he isn't obligated to
share his scoops before the books are published. This has
allowed him to sit on stories of national significance for
months - and even years.
In this case because Woodward concealed his own involvement,
it hindered his paper's ability to report fully on the leak
investigation.
Woodward's own editor Leonard Downie has admitted Woodward
is in a special situation. Downie said, "It does require
managing because a lot of his reporting is done under confidential
agreements like this particular one, in which the interviews
are for the publication of a book, rather than for the newspaper
in a short time frame."
But criticism of Woodward is escalating even from his own
colleagues.
Veteran staff writer Jonathan Yardley posted a message about
Woodward on the Washington Post's confidential internal memo.
He said "This is the logical and perhaps inevitable
outcome when an institution permits an individual to become
larger than the institution itself."
A Debate: Does Wal-Mart Work or is it a High Cost
for Low Price?
Wal-Mart - the world's largest retailer - has been in the
headlines recently with the release of a new documentary "Wal-Mart:
The High Cost of Low Price" that criticizes the company's
labor practices. A film defending the company, "Why Wal-Mart
Works: And Why That Makes Some People Crazy," has also
been released. We host a debate over Wal-Mart with the communications
director of Wal-Mart watch and the filmmaker of "Why
Wal-Mart Works." [includes rush
transcript]
On Thursday, more than 120 workers were arrested in a raid
by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Butler Township
Pennsylvania.
The raid took place at the construction site of a million-square-foot
Wal-Mart distribution center.
Wal-Mart has blamed a subcontractor for hiring the undocumented
workers.
But critics of Wal-Mart - the world's largest retailer -
say this is standard fare for a company that tries to cut
corners in order to lower its costs and expand its profit.
Paul Blank, campaign director of WakeUpWalMart.com
said "They're trying to improve their public image ...
but they're undermining their own attempts. There's clearly
a pattern where they're violating the law."
In March Wal-Mart agreed to pay an $11 million settlement
after immigration agents raided 60 stores and arrested 245
individuals working illegally.
Last month the New York Times obtained an internal Wal-Mart
memo that proposed the company curtail spending on employee
benefits while minimizing damage to its public image. The
Times reports the recommendations include hiring more part-time
workers, reducing retirement contributions and discouraging
unhealthy people from applying for positions. The memo also
acknowledged the company is already in a delicate position
because 46 percent of the children of Wal-Mart employees are
uninsured on or Medicaid.
Wal-Mart's labor practices are also criticized in a new documentary
released this month titled "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of
Low Price" by Robert Greenwald.
To combat this wave of negative publicity, The New York Times
reports Wal-Mart has set up a public relations war room staffed
with former Republican and Democratic presidential advisers.
The Times writes "When small-business owners or union
officials... criticize the company, the war room swings into
action with press releases, phone calls to reporters and instant
Web postings."
The Times reports the war room was set up as part of a larger
Wal-Mart effort to portray itself as more worker-friendly
and environmentally conscious company.
We host a debate over Wal-Mart and air excerpts from the
Robert Greenwald film as well as the documentary "Why
Wal-Mart Works: And Why That Makes Some People Crazy"
by filmmaker Ron Galloway.
- "Why Wal-Mart Works: And Why That Makes Some People
Crazy" - excerpt of documentary by Ron Galloway.
- "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" - excerpt
of documentary by Robert Greenwald
- Ron Galloway, documentary filmmaker. Producer and Co-director,
"Why Wal-Mart Works and Why That Drives Some People
Crazy."
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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