What Have We Learned

Following up on Attaturk's post about the Moyers show ...

I don't know if I wasn't paying attention to this or if the information was new, but one of the really outrageous things that Moyers discussed last night was the series of "coincidences" that lead to big "revelations" about Saddam's WMD, "elite fighting force [trained] in sabotage, urban warfare, hijacking and murder" (!!), killer kittens, or whatever showing up in the New York Times or the WaPo at -- lo and behold! -- the same time that people like Chucklehead Cheney were scheduled to appear on "Meet the Press."

BILL MOYERS: Quoting anonymous administration officials, the [NY] TIMES reported that Saddam Hussein had launched a worldwide hunt for materials to make an atomic bomb using specially designed aluminum tubes...

And there on MEET THE PRESS that same morning was Vice President Cheney.

DICK CHENEY (MEET THE PRESS NBC 9/8/02): There's a story in the NEW YORK TIMES this morning, this is-- and I want to attribute this to the TIMES -- I don't want to talk about obviously specific intelligence sources, but--

JONATHAN LANDAY: Now, ordinarily information-- like the aluminum tubes would-- wouldn't appear-it was top secret intelligence, and the Vice President and the National Security Advisor would not be allowed to talk about this on the Sunday talk shows. But, it appeared that morning in the NEW YORK TIMES and, therefore, they were able to talk about it.

The NYT ought be ashamed of itself for getting played by the likes of Ahmed Chalabi. So had Tim Russert, of course, but as an alleged "liberal" newspaper, I (foolishly) hold the NYT to a higher standard. So am I wrong to speculate that the con worked like this?

1. Chalabi & Co. feed bullshit to the NYT (to inside man, Judith "I-Was-Proved-Fucking-Right" Miller, or some patsy) with a wink and a nod to the White House.
2. Judy Miller tips the White House to when the "big scoop" will run.
3. The White House (probably Wingnut Harpy Conga Line Member Snarly Mary Matalin) calls "Meet the Press" to say that the Vice President, Known Knowns Rummy, or our Idiot Girl Nat'l Security Advisor/Secretary of State will be available for an exclusive interview on Sunday, which, unbeknownst to Timmeh is the day said "scoop" will run.
4. On "Meet the Press," Cheney, Rummy, or Rice says, "We know this bullshit is true because we read it in the New York Times."

The entire team of NYT clowns who "reported" on Iraq (along with Pinch) ought to do the right thing and just commit mass ritual suicide in the middle of West 43rd Street this afternoon. It's the only way for them to redeem themselves for their part in this clusterfuck.