How did NYT find out about the illegal NSA wiretaps?

[Hissyspit]

I'm a little behind the curve on this one. Been finishing my semester and finishing up Christmas preparations. Has there been any discussion on how they found out?

[shraby]

1. Unnamed officials blew the whistle.

Then the NYT sat on the story for a year.

[unblock]

2. hmm, maybe a pissed off powell?

[FreedomAngel82]

5. Powell wasn't speaking out then I don't think

I don't buy his "I'm sorry" bs act. He went along with it so I don't think it was him. Maybe someone at the NSA? :shrug:

[maddezmom]

6. Richard Clarke?

would he have been privy to this info?

[unblock]

9. i don't think powell was pissed off out of conscience.

i think powell was pissed off for how they treated him and undermined his political future.

[FreedomAngel82]

3. I wonder why they did

Maybe they just now felt safe for some reason? :shrug: I hope we find out why they sat on this information.

[rodeodance]

12. the reason they gave was that Bush had asked them to do so.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. So the story was known before election '04?

[Rosemary2205]

8. We don't know

but the Times should be answer that question. What did they know and when did they know it.

[newyawker99]

19. Hi Rosemary2205!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Hissyspit]

7. Thanks.

Sure would be interesting to know who it was.

[librarycard]

10. Why did the NYT sit on the story, and why is it exposing the story now?

Did he spy on political opponents?

Where is the list?

[rodeodance]

11. They said that bush had asked them not to report it "a year ago". There

is no list as far as I know.

[maddezmom]

13. and they met with * at the WH on Dec 5

again, the WH asked them not to run the story.

[librarycard]

14. So, that would have been before the 2004 election.

The NYTs was protecting Bush before the ballots were counted, I presume.

Why has the NYTs exposed Bush's spying after the election, then? What is the motivation? Bush has given the paper a big tax cut, hasn't it?

[rodeodance]

15. no, if it was 'a year ago'--as nyt said--then AFTER the election.

[librarycard]

16. What do you personally think?

Why would the NYTs first hold onto the information and release it now?

[rodeodance]

17. ratings? morals? not wanting to be told by WH who to do.? I really

do not know. Maybe a combination of many reasons.

[librarycard]

18. The NYT has a conscience?

Really~.

[jbnow]

21. LA Times says it was before the election

in this story

The initial Times statements did not say that the paper's internal debate began before the Nov. 2, 2004, presidential election — in which Iraq and national security questions loomed large — or make any reference to Risen's book, due out Jan. 16.

But two journalists, who declined to be identified, said that editors at the paper were actively considering running the story about the wiretaps before Bush's November showdown with Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts.

Top editors at the paper eventually decided to hold the story. But the discussion was renewed after the election, with Risen and coauthor of the story, reporter Eric Lichtblau, joining some of the paper's editors in pushing for publication, according to the sources, who said they did not want to be identified because the Times had designated only Keller and a spokeswoman to address the matter.

And they said ABOUT a year ago, which made me assume it was before the election or they'd have been more specific

[jbnow]

20. The NY Times said past and present

NSA employees, not administration.