Making Excuses?

In an editorial published in the Houston Chronicle last Friday, Dean Baquet and Bill Keller seem to be making excuses for the New York Times publishing the story about the "secret Bush administration program to monitor international banking transactions". I'm not sure I can buy into their explanation.

Our job, especially in times like these, is to bring readers information that will enable them to judge how well their elected leaders are fighting on their behalf, and at what price.

We'll each have to judge for ourselves whether or not releasing this information was in the best interest of the citizens of this country. Personally, I don't think we really needed to know. Some things just shouldn't be published, especially if it's a matter of national security.

They want us to protect their secrets, and they want us to trumpet their successes.

Ok, I'd accept that if either paper trumpeted any of President Bush's successes. Failures, they trumpet a bit too loudly.