Threat matrix: (for the Plame scandal)
Excuse/Defense | By | Where |
| Too complicated / too many facts | Reynolds | weblog |
| | Volokh | weblog |
| Doesn't make any sense | Sullivan | weblog |
| | Reynolds | weblog |
| Wilson is partisan / far-left | May | National Review |
| | Podhoretz | New York Post |
| Not a "leak", but arose in conversation | Robbins | National Review |
| Nobody called Novak with the tip | Robbins | National Review |
| | Hannity | radio |
| White House didn't leak (according to Novak) | Limbaugh | radio |
| Rove wasn't involved | McClennan | White House |
| Explains why "unreliable" Wilson went to Niger (CIA/Plame responsible) | Podhoretz | New York Post |
| Not an "operative" or "agent", but an "analyst" | Robbins | National Review |
| (usually citing Novak), | Luskin | weblog |
| or not sure if she was covert | Sullivan | weblog |
| or not covert abroad | Limbaugh | website |
| | Boot | Los Angeles Times |
| Lots of folks knew Plame was CIA | Robbins | National Review |
| | Novak | column |
| | May | National Review |
| Not a risk to Plame because she's not posted overseas | Reynolds | weblog |
| Wilson is not in danger | Limbaugh | website |
| It's a partisan issue | Hannity | radio |
| | Reynolds | weblog |
| Outing CIA happens 50 times a year, no big deal | Limbaugh | radio |
| Plame's name was in the public domain | Limbaugh | radio |
| (usually listed as wife of Wilson) | Limbaugh | website |
| | Luskin | weblog |
| "Manufactured" scandal / outrage | Limbaugh | website |
| | Robbins | National Review |
| | Reynolds | weblog |
| Paying attention to Plame undermines war on terrorism | editors | New York Post |
| | Hannity | radio |
| Wilson was a bad choice to investigate Niger story | Robbins | National Review |
| (incompetent, unqualified, or untrustworthy) | May | National Review |
| | Reynolds | weblog |
| Wilson is a jerk | Sullivan | weblog |
| It's Wilson's fault (for making such a fuss about the Niger issue) | Levin | National Review |
| Wilson lied when he said his mission was a request by Cheney | May | National Review |
| CIA participated in exposing Plame | Luskin | weblog |
| This is minor, real scandal is CIA intelligence failures | Boot | Los Angeles Times |
| Wilson's whole act is a fraud | Podhoretz | New York Post |
OBSERVATION:
So far, the only big name media outlet putting up much of a defense is the National Review (but we'll be on the lookout for more and update the table when appropriate). UPDATE: Which we have just done.
NOTE OF THANKS: We couldn't have done this without tapping into the resources provided by
Calpundit,
Mark A. R. Kleiman, and Josh Marshall's
Talking Points Memo. (That's what weblogs are good for!)
posted by Quiddity at 10/01/2003 01:34:00 PM 
