Times Public Editor - SWIFT Disclosure Was Wrong

Byron Calame, NY Times Public Editor, has changed his mind and now believes that the disclosure of the SWIFT international funds transfer program by the NY Times was a mistake.  So why did he defend it a few months ago?  Well, that was Bush's fault - the critics were so nasty that Calame reflexively defended the Times.

This is all buried as an afterthought to his Sunday column provocatively headlined - "Can ‘Magazines’ of The Times Subsidize News Coverage?".  Some excerpts:

Banking Data: A Mea Culpa

Since the job of public editor requires me to probe and question the published work and wisdom of Times journalists, there’s a special responsibility for me to acknowledge my own flawed assessments.

My July 2 column strongly supported The Times’s decision to publish its June 23 article on a once-secret banking-data surveillance program. After pondering for several months, I have decided I was off base. There were reasons to publish the controversial article, but they were slightly outweighed by two factors to which I gave too little emphasis. While it’s a close call now, as it was then, I don’t think the article should have been published.

Those two factors are really what bring me to this corrective commentary: the apparent legality of the program in the United States, and the absence of any evidence that anyone’s private data had actually been misused. I had mentioned both as being part of “the most substantial argument against running the story,” but that reference was relegated to the bottom of my column.

...

I haven’t found any evidence in the intervening months that the surveillance program was illegal under United States laws. Although data-protection authorities in Europe have complained that the formerly secret program violated their rules on privacy, there have been no Times reports of legal action being taken. Data-protection rules are often stricter in Europe than in America, and have been a frequent source of friction.

Also, there still haven’t been any abuses of private data linked to the program, which apparently has continued to function. That, plus the legality issue, has left me wondering what harm actually was avoided when The Times and two other newspapers disclosed the program. The lack of appropriate oversight — to catch any abuses in the absence of media attention — was a key reason I originally supported publication. I think, however, that I gave it too much weight.

In addition, I became embarrassed by the how-secret-is-it issue, although that isn’t a cause of my altered conclusion. My original support for the article rested heavily on the fact that so many people already knew about the program that serious terrorists also must have been aware of it. But critical, and clever, readers were quick to point to a contradiction: the Times article and headline had both emphasized that a “secret” program was being exposed.

...What kept me from seeing these matters more clearly earlier in what admittedly was a close call? I fear I allowed the vicious criticism of The Times by the Bush administration to trigger my instinctive affinity for the underdog and enduring faith in a free press — two traits that I warned readers about in my first column.

Toothpaste, meet tube.

For background, here is the original story and my first post on it.  My theme was that publicizing this program would force European banking executives to end their cooperation with the program (although there have been grumblings from Europe, I don't believe that has happened as yet.)

Here are my thoughts on Calame's first column supporting the Times coverage; here is a post explaining the benefits of keeping secrets - let me reprise this Times reporting:

But Mr. Wechsler said the disclosure might nonetheless hamper intelligence collection by making financial institutions resistant to requests for access to records.

"I wouldn't be surprised if these recent articles have made it more difficult to get cooperation from our friends in Europe, since it may make their cooperation with the U.S. less politically palatable," Mr. Wechsler said.

Though privacy advocates have denounced the examination of banking transactions, the Swift consortium has defended its cooperation with the counterterrorism program and has not indicated any intention to stop cooperating with the broad administrative subpoenas issued to obtain its data.

Bah.  Well, I suppose we should acknowledge Mr. Calame's grace in admitting his error, and before the election to boot.  And keep in mind, the decsion to publish was not his to make.

That said, this flip-flop will annoy folks on the other side of this debate without mollifying cranks such as me.  I would guess that Mr. Calame's lonely job just got a little lonelier.

P.S.  There continues to be zero probability of the Times addressing their other comical Swift coverage.  Ms. Zernike's "hail of fire" stands uncorrected and unsupported.

I SHOULD'A SAID IT (So I'll steal it): "Calame's calumny".  Sara has commentary and lots of links.

Comments

[SlimGuy]

Correction looked at the quote for the berkshire hataway A shares not the B shares I hold quote friday was 3328 for the B shares

[Sara (Squiggler)]

Oh my God, someone quick I need the smelling salts. I just got another Trackback from the Instapundit. Two in a couple of days. My heart can't take it. Sara fainting.

[SlimGuy]

Sara

You may have missed it but you also got one from Michelle Malkin on her private blog not the hotair one

[topsecretk9]

Thanks to Sara who was inst lined --again!

L Bryrd writes:

This is so typical of the way the left operates -- page one stories about all the evils of the Bush administration, then when facts prove otherwise, if we are lucky, we get a buried admission months later, after the accusations and allegations have been accepted as conventional wisdom. It is predictable, but effective.

----

So true. Didn't take Nic Kristoff/Pincus something like 2 years before they addressed the inaccuracies in their reporting with Wilson? Kristof relented because he felt too much time had already passed - absolving him of any moral obligation to correct the record or address the inaccuracies ---actions the MSM routinely badger their subjects about.

It's the arrogance stupid!

[topsecretk9]

Sara was INSTA-LINKED again, I meant.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

Fanning furiously. I'm such a kid when it comes to this kind of thing. Thanks Slim, I didn't see that. She was my first stop this morning, and I haven't been back since I did the roundup.

[SlimGuy]

Well I predict that tomorrow Rush is gonna link to Sara's site and the server will suffer a total meltdown.

When AJ got his the other day he went over 2700 hits per minute. Or maybe it was hour. Either way it was a bunch.

[SlimGuy]

OT

Rogers the Outer is patting himself on the back so hard he make break an arm in the process.

Also he has a vid of Barney Frank on the Bill Mayer show related to his latest outing.

[SlimGuy]

Sara

Calm down..people our age shouldn't get excited...well unless it's for the right reasons >evil grin<.

Whenever your ready for it I'll send ya an IOU for a threaputic massage

[Sara (Squiggler)]

If Rush did that, you'd have to have an oxygen tank standing by. I live by myself you know. If that happens and I don't leave a comment somewhere on JOM tomorrow, call the EMTs. LOL.

[SlimGuy]

Sara

Suggest you make a bleg (that's shorthand for blog beg) post about your home issue and point to your tip jar.

May surprise you with the results.

Might work since your getting all the attention girl.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

I'm not very good at begging. I did get in a hint though toward the end of the post.

[SlimGuy]

Yes I saw that little mention.

Ya need to edit the high traffic posts, don't mention the house, blame it on the bandwith bill and put it in bold.

[clarice]

Sara--I've been busy with houseguests..and thought I cheered you earlier but I don't see it. HURRAH!

[coolpapa]

"I fear I allowed the vicious criticism of The Times by the Bush administration to trigger my instinctive affinity for the underdog..."

And who might the "underdog" be? The Times? Puh-lease. They've got the 1st Amendment to hide behind. Bush v. NYT would be an epic struggle landing in the SC without passing 'Go'.

So, just who does Mr. Clamy have an "instinctive affinity" for? The bankers? Their customers? Times readers?

For my money, it's the terrorists.

[coolpapa]

"I fear I allowed the vicious criticism of The Times by the Bush administration to trigger my instinctive affinity for the underdog..."

And who might the "underdog" be? The Times? Puh-lease. They've got the 1st Amendment to hide behind. Bush v. NYT would be an epic struggle landing in the SC without passing 'Go'.

So, just who does Mr. Clamy have an "instinctive affinity" for? The bankers? Their customers? Times readers?

For my money, it's the terrorists.

[Specter]

And again Sara. Fantastic....I just put up a blurb on my site telling people to visit yours. My visits are growing from some odd sources so hopefully it will give you some new readers.

[SlimGuy]

Clarice

There is a major sidestory breaking that TS9 talked about in the thread prior to this.

Seems someone over at Mydd (who already has issues with the SEC over penny stock manipulation) is touting a scheme to do a google bomb attack to raise the profile of negative republican stories by the MSM so they come up first in blog searches if last minute voters are researching who to vote for on the web.

This is not an idle threat , he is working it to make it happen.

[clarice]

That's interesting SG. They do that all the time, though.

[SlimGuy]

Agreed, and we may be aware of that, just was trying to suggest since this was a blatant upfront clearcut example that maybe AT could be used as a megaphone to to give them a slapdown that they weren't expecting.

A couple of the blogs have already picked up on it.

[SlimGuy]

Clarice

Here is the link to the original post

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/10/20/13710/902

Here is the link to his follow up post later in the evening

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/10/22/212217/05

This is a working threat, don't know how effective it will be if triggered, but he cross posted the original to the kos kids so they have enough to leverage it if they can activate their users.

[clarice]

thanks.

[AST]

This "public editor" is about as necessary as teats on a boar. His whole shtick is to make it look as though the Times has a conscience.

So what if it does? Does anybody really believe that this column will keep the Times from publishing the next secret it gets, if it will hurt Bush? I don't think Mr. Calame should resign, but I don't see why the Times is paying him. It's losing money, ad revenues and subscribers. Yet it plows ahead like nothing's changed.

I used to think of the Times as something I should be reading. I used to enjoy its crosswords but then it started charging $20 a year for them. Then I read some of its OpEd Columnists, until it started charging for them. In the past few years it's bias and obvious desire to damage George Bush in any way possible, I no longer feel it has anything to offer me.

[SlimGuy]

So this dude is trying to take the msm bias of negative coverage of republicans and push it to the top of the search engines, google in particular.

He hasn't triggered it yet as the posts state, but he is working it and seems sure to go that way.

He is still trying to review inputs from those who sent him dirt posts on the reps.

So what he is trying to achieve is media bias squared.

I don't suggest a premptive posting on AT, but working up a counter post when he triggers it.

Sort of a "what you see may just be smoke and mirrors" post to counter the effect and slam down the dude in question with no quarter.

[anon]

Sara, Glenn Renyolds is a sucker for that "Libertarian Pragmatist" header you use!

[SlimGuy]

I read a news story this morning about advertisers are suing sites over click fraud directing bogus traffic.

Here is a guy trying to organize manipulation of the net beyound that. Only for partisan advantage.

Lots may just accept bias in the MSM, but they may not take too nice to people wanting to bogus the net for their own reasons.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

Aaaaah, anon, you mean it isn't my devastatingly good looks and brilliant mind? I'm crushed. An LP = votes Republican and bitches a lot!

Clarice -- Thanks. A high five to the Goddess.

Specter -- A big thank you.

[SlimGuy]

Sigh

Will Sara remember all us little people if Rush winks at her.

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Syl]

From Snow's letter to the Times (posted above by Sara):

It should also be noted that the co-chairmen of the bipartisan 9-11 Commission, Governor Tom Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, met in person or placed calls to the very highest levels of the Times urging the paper not to publish the story.

also CNN story from a JOM post (posted above by sara):

Hmm. At the CNN site, the story is this:

Keller said he knew of only three people outside of the administration who were asked by the administration to contact the paper -- Tom Kean and Lee Hamilton from the 9/11 commission, and Democratic Rep. Jack Murtha.

"Not all of them urged us not to publish," Keller said.

Looks like MURTHA URGED the NYTimes to PRINT.

Calling Diane Irey!

[Syl]

If anyone cares, just to prove how old I am ::grin::...

I knew Jane Wyatt's mother.

LOL

[Syl]

and CONGRATS on another instalaunch, Sara!

[SlimGuy]

Syl

Damn girl that was the exact post I was looking for earlier tonight about Murtha.

I knew there was another name attached that made me belch.

Good on ya.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

Slim, check out Murtha Must Go! today. Irey is looking very good as of now.

And, I told you upthread if Rush mentions me, I'm depending on the JOMers to call the EMTs, otherwise ???????????????

[Syl]

SG

Caught my eye right away.

I remembered Murtha was one, and it didn't make sense to me. I figured the administration has respect for him and assumed he'd do the right thing and urge Keller not to publish.

That Bush is a bit too trusting sometimes, methinks.

[SlimGuy]

And, I told you upthread if Rush mentions me, I'm depending on the JOMers to call the EMTs, otherwise ???????????????

Posted by: Sara (Squiggler) | October 22, 2006 at 09:29 PM

Email me your phone number and address so I can call the emt's....this is only to be used for emergency lifesupport reasons if such a situation arises.

If other members here can provide that support, this message will self destruct in 30 seconds.

[SlimGuy]

Syl

My reaction when I saw his name on the list was a big "say what". Just the cranial cobwebs couldn't come up with the name.

If you consider that everyone in that meeting had to have a working relationship with the NYT and were willing to call in a few markers to work the situation, then Murtha gets a radar bump on some other issues.

[clarice feldman]

Syl, It's as if I heard that for the very first time.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

As I've mentioned here before, the PA 12th, Murtha's district, is my hometown where I grew up. I've been following this race very closely from way back in the Spring. When Irey first broke onto the scene and the Vets got behind her, I wrote to the Johnstown Tribune and asked why they weren't giving her any attention. I got a very rude reply.

Well, things have changed big time. Now the scuttlebutt around the area is that people of that District are not taking Murtha's trashing of the Marines and Code Pink shennanigans well. One remark was that the first battle in the War on Terror ended in a field just 12 miles from Murtha's hometown and his insults and cut and run rhetoric are way out of line.

[SlimGuy]

Sara

On the strength of what you said , I will tell you this, I already have sent one check to Ms Irey. Tomorrow I will max it out.

It seems like a good cause.

[SlimGuy]

Sara just made a connection for me that I had never looked at before.

Murtha was someone who I just wanted to slap in the past.

But when Sara told of the hometown link, my blood ran cold.

This is an marine, whom the millblogers have already expressed their dismay with, and to have such an occurane be in his own back yard and be so much the way he is speaks volumes to me.

I am sorry I never made the connection and I thank Sara for that.

And this guy is angeling for a higher position among the dems in their push and shove fighting. This could gag a maggot!

[SlimGuy]

I don't know what to think right now, but I will defere to my dear old dad.

He told me once that retribution is wrong in all cases.

But he also said he recalled a situation in which someone recieved 6 warning shots to the back of the head.

Nuff said , I'm going to bed , see all you'all in the morning.

[Daddy]

"That guy is a major league A**hole."

Seems to me that Candidate Cheney's overheard whisper to Candidate Bush describing a NYTimes Reporter still fits, regardless of particulars.

[Specter]

G'Mornin All,

Woke up, got a cup of coffee and began perusing the news. Nearly choked when I saw this:

GOP Losses Could Spark Partisan Warfare - Tom Raum, AP

The unmitigated gall of MSM to start saying that Republicans will be the basis of partisan politics! Like there have not been any for the last few - ummmmmm - decades by the left. Geez.

I blogged a new, short piece about Dems here.

[hit and run]

Sara: Irey is looking very good as of now.

Since you made mention of Romney in a prior thread, I might as well do the same from the opposite gender regarding Irey.

Irey always looks good. :)

And as with everyone else here - I too give you a virtual standing-o for the exposure you are getting. Very much deserved!

[hit and run]

OT - saw this on Kaus.

Nancy Pelosi:
"The gavel of the speaker of the House is in the hands of special interests, and now it will be in the hands of America's children."

That's a good bit of self-reflection, confirming what we've all known for a long time.

Dems: Led by a bunch of whiny kids.

[cathyf]

Seems someone over at Mydd (who already has issues with the SEC over penny stock manipulation) is touting a scheme to do a google bomb attack to raise the profile of negative republican stories by the MSM so they come up first in blog searches if last minute voters are researching who to vote for on the web.

Now much as it pains me to go hiding behind the terrible travesty of McCain-Feingold, but can google be prosecuted for a huge illegal campaign contribution if they allow this to happen?

[Sue]

Cathy,

I don't know about the legalities of what the blogger is doing and Google's liability if he does it, but doesn't it strike you as kind of desparate? Why do they feel the need to pull a stunt like that openly, if they are really poised to win, as MSM keeps telling us?

[hit and run]

Sue, this just feels sooooooo icky, I may have to go take a shower in playing devil's advocate for the loonies, but you have to remember that these people really believe down deep in their hearts that the repub machine can steal elections. They still believe 2000 FL and 2004 OH were stolen. So, even if they think they're up by double digits - they feel they have to pull out all the stops to stop the evil machinations of KKKarl Rove.

Of course, as a certified member of the VRWC, I can neither confirm nor deny their conspiracy theories. lol

[Sue]

I can neither confirm nor deny their conspiracy theories.

::grin::

[Specter]

Well....while I do not specifically know google's algorithms, I suspect that it would be mighty hard to manipulate the system. I mean - they would be trying in a few simple weeks to manipulate data that is months old. Add to that the google pay-as-you-go keywords and I think that it would be pretty hard. Now - they could try to buy up the keywords, but that is an expensive undertaking. If they do attempt that, I suugest we bid up the price and then have millions click on their selection....LOL

[clarice]

The NYT circulation is way down--worse than you might think. This weekend I had a houseguest who distributes those papers who reported to me that the NYT manipulates the circulation by offering lots of copies to institutions (ie schools) where teachers get them at low prices and hundreds of extras are delievered--No one wants those extras and the maintenance crews just tell the delivery guys to toss them in the trash. Multiply that by all the schools, hospitals, nursing homes signed up for this program and it mounts up to a lot of inflated figures. As for single sale copies, he said at one of the most well-traveled, rich commuter routed (Conn to NY) single sales have dropped from 450 aa day to 50).

Richly deserved fall off in sales I'd say.

[topsecretk9]

Here what they've accomplished in their googlenuke campaign

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/10/22/212217/05#readmore

I'm sorry, but this is just so High School and really just shows you how corrupt and devoid of idea the "roots" really are...

[topsecretk9]

Here is a little 101 on Google Bombing

http://www.slate.com/id/2063699/

[Rick Ballard]

"Richly deserved fall off in sales I'd say."

Sedition's reward. I hope the DoJ delivers the rest of it right after the elections.

TS,

The Kosola boys have to set up a scam every week. Admit it - if you had access to a group of suckers that size you'd be peddling tickets to the Egress every morning.

It seems high schoolish because the mydd dork has the LCD on the intelligence of his audience pegged to a 'T'.

[SlimGuy]

TS9

I don't know if you have seen it , but the googlebomb story got comment today from Brian over at HotAir

http://hotair.com/archives/2006/10/22/mydds-googlenuke-campaign/

[SunnyDay]

Someone should write a bot program to search and click on the adwords, hehehe. That would make their campaign very expensive.

[topsecretk9]

Rick-

-It seems high schoolish because the mydd dork has the LCD on the intelligence of his audience pegged to a 'T'.-

Yes he does!

Slim Guy

I did see it, I also hit the "digg" button too.

Personally, I don't think the tactic is an especially effective one, I just am disgusted these are the guys that scream manipulation and vote fraud every other minute yet they are usually the ones who never miss an opportunity to concoct some manipulation -- think slashed van tires.

And of course they would be peeing their pants if a conservative blogger suggested such a stupid thing.

[SlimGuy]

The point is more of exposing the effort itself rather than the damage it may do.

After all try to find positive stories about Reps in the MSM to start with.

But pushing the most negative ones to the top is a bit of dirty pool.

[clarice]

Well, TM just did. See the new thread.

[richard mcenroe]

"I fear I allowed the vicious criticism of The Times by the Bush administration to trigger my instinctive affinity for the underdog and enduring faith in a free press — two traits that I warned readers about in my first column."

The notion of ANY acolyte of the institutionalized arrogance that is the NY Times (or that shrinking pamphlet, Time Magazine), feeling in any way the underdog is risible to the point of insulting our intelligence.