TPMDC WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks
McCain: New York Times Shouldn't Have Published WikiLeaks Info
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is criticizing the New York Times for printing the WikiLeaks documents, containing leaked diplomatic cables from the State Department. And while McCain fully admits that the information would be available whether the Times published it or not -- such as on The Guardian or the WikiLeaks site itself -- he says the Times is still doing damage by printing the stuff.
As Howard Kurtz reports at the Daily Beast:
"I wish The New York Times had chosen not to," McCain says in an interview. "It's harmful to the United States of America and our national security interests. Their argument is that it was coming out anyway. But there's a certain imprimatur of The New York Times that gives it a certain degree of respectability."PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
He pauses for a moment. "You know," he adds with a chuckle, "my relationship with The New York Times is such that anything I say about them will not be taken too seriously." McCain is referring in part to his denunciation of the paper for a 2008 article that implied, based on unnamed sources, that he had a romantic relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman. (The Times, in settling a libel suit by Iseman, said it did not intend such a conclusion.)
Topics: John McCain, WikiLeaks
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich: Julian Assange Is An Enemy Combatant (VIDEO)
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA)
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) has joined in on the conservative hard line against WikiLeaks head Julian Assange -- saying that he should be treated as an enemy combatant. In addition, Gingrich has added his voice to those praising Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, if only as a means of damning President Obama by comparison.
During an appearance last night on Greta Van Susteren's show, Gingrich was asked about Assange's statement that Clinton should resign, due to the practice of having diplomats gather intelligence.
"Two quick thoughts: The WikiLeaks guy should be in jail for the rest of his life," said Gingrich. "He is an enemy of the United States, actively endangering people, and he's gonna get a lot of folks killed. And I think that's a despicable act, and we should treat him as an enemy combatant, and as an absolute enemy of the United States."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Greta Van Susteren, Hillary Clinton, Julian Assange, Newt Gingrich, WikiLeaks
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Lawmakers Stand Firm On Taxes As Talks Start
The Associated Press reports: "Democrats and Republicans are working to reach a deal to extend Bush-era tax cuts that expire at the end of the year, but neither side is budging as negotiations begin in earnest. Even as they talk, House leaders are planning to hold a politically charged vote Thursday to extend middle-class tax cuts while letting taxes for the wealthy expire. The bill, even if it passes the House, stands no chance in the Senate. Nevertheless, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he is considering holding a similar vote."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the economic daily briefing at 9:15 a.m. ET, and the presidential daily briefing at 10:15 a.m. ET. Obama will meet at 10:45 a.m. ET with senior advisers, and will meet at 12:45 p.m. ET with D.C. Mayor-elect Vince Gray.
Topics: 2010 elections, Barack Obama, Bush Tax Cuts, Hillary Clinton, Roundup, Tax Cuts, Taxes, WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks
Gibbs On WikiLeaks: Stealing And Disseminating Classified Info Is A Crime
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs addressed the release of State Department cables by the website WikiLeaks in a press conference today, noting that President Obama "was -- as an understatement -- not pleased with this information becoming public."
"Open and transparent government," Gibbs continued, "is something the President believes is truly important. But the stealing of classified info and its dissemination is a crime."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Robert Gibbs, WikiLeaks
Hillary Clinton
Clinton On WikiLeaks: We're Taking 'Aggressive Steps' To Hold Those Who Stole The Cables Responsible
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today strongly condemned the release of State Department cables by WikiLeaks, saying that there "is nothing laudable about endangering innocent people, and there is nothing brave about sabotaging peaceful relations between nations."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Hillary Clinton, WikiLeaks
Peter King
Peter King: Declare Wikileaks A Terrorist Organization
Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
Rep. Peter King (R-NY), the incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, has called for tough measures against Wikileaks in the wake of the latest publication of diplomatic communications -- namely, that they be declared a foreign terrorist organization.
As The Hill reports:
"I am calling on the attorney general and supporting his efforts to fully prosecute Wikileaks and its founder for violating the Espionage Act. And I'm also calling on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to declare Wikileaks a foreign terrorist organization," King said on WNIS radio on Sunday evening.
"By doing that, we will be able to seize their funds and go after anyone who provides them help or contributions or assistance whatsoever," he said. "To me, they are a clear and present danger to America."
Question: Would King feel the same way about people who have been entangled with the IRA?
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Peter King, Terrorism, WikiLeaks
Roundup
TPMDC Sunday Roundup
Gates: WikiLeaks Docs Posting 'Puts Our Soldiers At Risk'
Appearing on This Week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates denounced the WikiLeaks posting of documents about Afghanistan: "Well, I'm not sure anger is the right word. I just -- I think mortified, appalled. And -- and if -- if I'm angry, it is -- it is because I believe that this information puts those in Afghanistan who have helped us at risk. It puts our soldiers at risk because they can learn a lot -- our adversaries can learn a lot about our techniques, tactics and procedures from the body of these leaked documents. And so I think that's what puts our soldiers at risk. And -- and then, as I say, our sources. And, you know, growing up in the intelligence business, protecting your sources is sacrosanct. And -- and there was no sense of responsibility or accountability associated with it."
Mullen 'Appalled' By WikiLeaks Docs
Appearing on Meet The Press, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen denounced the WikiLeaks posting of documents on the Afghanistan war: "There is an ability to put this kind of information together in the world that we're living in and the potential for costing us lives, I think, is significant. I said when it first occurred I was appalled. I remain appalled and that the potential for the loss of lives of American soldiers or coalition soldiers or Afghan citizens is clearly there."
Topics: 2010 elections, Afghanistan, Arizona, Birthright citizenship, Carl Levin, Immigration, Jan Brewer, Jon Kyl, Lindsey Graham, Mike Mullen, Nancy Pelosi, Robert Gates, Roundup, Sarah Palin, Sunday Shows, WikiLeaks
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Axelrod to Democrats: Blame the GOP
White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod told Senate Democrats to go on offense against the Republicans in this November's election. "We're not interested in re-litigating the past but we don't want to relive it either," Axelrod said after a closed-door strategy session. "People need to know that when they cast that Republican vote they're casting that vote for those same discredited policies that punished the middle class and created this crisis in the first place."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will depart from the White House at 9:30 a.m. ET, then will depart from Andrews Air Force Base at 9:45 a.m. ET, arriving at 11:05 a.m. ET in Detroit, Michigan. He will tour the Chrysler auto plant at 11:50 a.m. ET, and will deliver remarks at 12:15 p.m. ET. He will then tour the General Motors auto plant at 12:55 p.m. ET, and deliver remarks at 1:40 p.m. ET. He will depart from Detroit at 3:10 p.m. ET, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base at 4:25 p.m. ET, and at the White House at 4:40 p.m. ET.
Topics: 2010 elections, Afghanistan, Arizona, Auto Industry, Barack Obama, Budget, China, Deficit, Immigration, Robert Gates, Roundup, WikiLeaks
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