Alarming Judith Miller quote: What's going on here??

[truth2power]

Ok, I just posted about this in another thread, but I think it deserves a thread of its own.

Been looking for this quote for a week or so and couldn't find it. Today must be my lucky Google day, 'cause here it is:

"Lips Zipped, Reporter In Jail"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/07/national/main707048.shtml

<snip>
"CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart reports Miller said: "I won't testify. The risks are too great. The government is too powerful." " :wtf:

Does she fear for her life? Her career? I would say, "life" is more likely. In any case, someone needs to get to the bottom of this. Scary sh*t!

[Mistress Quickly]

1. I would think

she would be safer if she fessed up.

But then again, look at Jack Kelly.

[rooboy]

3. Considering she was one of the last to communicate with David Kelly...

I think she certainly is afraid for her life. But if she thinks they won't bump her off in prison, she's nuts.

[Seabiscuit]

9. Yup. No question about it. She's nuts, all right.

[Beaver Tail]

8. They would not kill her now

It's too public of an issue. It would stir the pot and people would ask too many questions.

[donsu]

2. kick

nt

[stray cat]

4. Does she mean the gov is to powerful by making her testify?

Maybe she is just resisting the power of the courts to force a reporter to testify instead of being afraid of revenge by Bush co.

[Stirk]

10. Yes, that's how I read it, too.

[rman]

29. She means the government does not want her to testify.

This does not necessarily imply that she does want to testify. She can be a victim or a fall-guy, probably the latter.
That's how i read it.

[kevsand]

5. It's a partial misquote, and taken entirely out of context.

Here's the full text:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4127811&mesg_id=4127863

It's very obvious that she was not referring to her own personal safety, but rather to the risks faced by potential whistleblowers in talking to the NYT.

[deutsey]

11. Thanks for clarifying

[stray cat]

12. Thanks for the full quote - always helps to know context.

[truth2power]

13. So Stewart just inserted that "I won't testify" statement.

Thanks for the clarification. But this is confusing: "I know that many of these people in government will not talk to reporters if we cannot be trusted to protect their identity. The risks are too great; the government is too powerful; the country is too polarized."

Is she just making a general statement, here? Sounds like she's talking to people who are ratting-out Cheney et al. Otherwise, why would their identities need to be protected? IOW, more likely she would be looking for RW talking points from "people in government". No need for protecting identity there. :shrug:

Also: " I have chronicled what happens on the dark side of the world when the law is an arbitrary foil that serves the powerful.. Strange, she doesn't pick up on the irony there. Talk about clueless!

[kevsand]

15. Hard to say.

I think she's probably speaking in general, but she could have someone (or several people) actually in mind as she says that.

I've given up trying to figure out what she's thinking. I disagree enough with her even when I just take it at face value, without bringing anything extra to the table...

[Mist]

6. She COULD be scared, OR

maybe she's following the "law of omerta," and hoping for a huge payoff from Bushco. From the smirk on her face in a pic of her being led off to jail, I think it might be the latter.

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. So now she is a 'made journalist'. All kinds of opportunities,

down the road. Maybe her own syndicated TV show, or at least a radio show like those other convicted felons, Liddy and North.

[deutsey]

7. Reminiscent of testimony by a former Enron VP

Enron Vice President Sherron Watkins testifying under oath before the House Energy and Commerce Committee February 14. 2002.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june02/enron_2-14.html

SNIP

GANSKE: Were you worried about your own personal safety?

WATKINS: At times, I mean, just because the company was a little bit radio-silent back to me, so I didn’t know how they were taking my memos or the investigation.

GANSKE: Why would you be worried about your personal safety?

WATKINS: Because it was the seventh-largest company in America.

GANSKE: And you were dealing with a really powerful person—

WATKINS: Yes.

GANSKE: —and a really powerful company.

SNIP

[mmonk]

16. I'm not sure I trust the administration's journalists

anyway, so let her be silent.

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. If I were her, I'd talk BEFORE

they suicided me. If people have scandalous info on the BFEE, that hasn't been exposed, they tend to die. She's in a jail where it would be very easy to hire an assassin to hang, poor distraught, Ms. Miller....and call it a suicide, again.

[tigereye]

19. that is just absurd!

[truth2power]

22. Huh? What's absurd? n/t

[tigereye]

24. this comment - sorry

"If I were her, I'd talk BEFORE they suicided me. If people have scandalous info on the BFEE, that hasn't been exposed, they tend to die. She's in a jail where it would be very easy to hire an assassin to hang, poor distraught, Ms. Miller....and call it a suicide, again."

I can't believe people say things like this.

[truth2power]

27. That's what I thought, but

I don't find that comment absurd. You are entitled to your opinion, of course.

After all the atrocities that we KNOW these people have perpetrated, why would it be a surprise that they would "off" someone who knows too much? I think the only reason Sibel Edmonds hasn't met with an..ahem..accident is that she's kept a high profile. Makes it more difficult, although not impossible.

As for suspicious suicides/accidents, I'm thinking of Hatfield, the Fortunate Son author; David Kelly, and that Nanny for one of the Bush family members whose car just started up and went forward, pinning her to the garage wall. I'm sure there are many more. Isn't there a website, BushBodyCount or something? Even if you discount the outliers, there are plenty that just make you go, "Hmm..."

Miller was so instrumental in ramping up the war-fever, she probably has a whole lot of dirt on Cheney, especially. It's always made more sense to me that Cheney has his hands in some WMD proliferation scheme, and Plame's group might have got too close to that. Revenge isn't the whole story, IMO.

Yeah, Judy should tell what she knows. They could get to her, in prison or not. If that makes me :tinfoilhat: well, so be it.

[rman]

28. You mean you don't believe such things happen?

Do you think the government is always open and honest to the people? That they never do things that they don't tell us about?
That whatever they do it is always for the common good?

[tigereye]

30. I don't think they kill prominent reporters in prison, no

[Garbo 2004]

18. Quote taken out of context. See post 5 for context. n/t

[truth2power]

20. Miller's quote apparently NOT taken out of context....

Go here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4133771&mesg_id=4134043

Poster says there's video on CBS news site of her saying this in court.

[Ganja Ninja]

21. She's trying to play the martyr card

She acts as if she defending the press from the government. She's really defending politicians from the law. She must be getting a big payoff when this is over.

[formercia]

26. Alligator Tears

I'm sure it pained her terribly to be a sewer outlet for administration propaganda.

My tiny violin plays for her. Let her rot.

[sendero]

23. It could mean anything...

... or nothing at all.

Really, Ms. Miller has shown herself to be less than interested in the truth. I really don't trust anything she says, and I don't really care how long they leave her locked up, the longer the better.

She can get out when she's ready to do her lawful duty and testify.

[Justice]

25. don't you think she would be safer having a press conference and

telling her story then to be locked up in a jail away from the public eye. makes no sense.