The story makes a fairly good attempt at balance, though the larger context of criminal behavior by the Bush administration as a PATTERN is not integrated. Within that "big picture" the attempt to retroactively alter the law would have to be viewed differently, and that is not provided within this article. In addition, the quote provided by the WH spokesman does not address the retroactivity at all, but is instead allowed to draw in a hot button phrase like "those on the front lines in the war on terror". There is a confusing attempt to mix water-boarding (accepted world-wide as torture) with "humiliating and degrading treatment" (a Geneva Art. 3 violation, but not necessarily "torture"). This is just bad juxtaposition ... More »

When the tellers of the story become the story, the role of "journalism" becomes more complicated. In this case, Jason Leopold published a report (at trouthout.org) based on multiple (3-5) sources saying that Karl Rove had been indicted. THERE HAS BEEN NO EVIDENCE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THAT THE STORY IS TRUE __OR__ FALSE. Karl Rove COULD very well have been indicted, and the indictment sealed (i.e. kept secret) while negotiations continue on whether Rove might provide evidence in the case. What Howard Kurtz does can only be called a "hack job" on Jason Leopold, Marc Ash, and Truthout.org. When the players in the story become the story, then their background DOES become relevant, so his bringing up Leopold's history is ... More »

MM really deserves a ZERO point ONE score for this piece of right-wing regurgitation propeganda trash. To even bother reviewing it as "journalism" is to give it more value than it deserves.