Monday, December 15, 2014

A Predetermined Narrative

Marc A. Thiessen has written for The Washington Post a condemnation of the Feinstein committee report on CIA "torture" or enhanced interrogation techniques.
Rolling Stone magazine has faced nearly unanimous condemnation for publishing serious accusations without bothering to interview those it accused to check the facts and get their side of the story. So why is it wrong for Rolling Stone to do this, but okay for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)?

The reason Feinstein and her staff did not interview Hayden, Tenet, Goss, Rizzo, Rodriguez or any other CIA officials is the same reason Rolling Stone did not talk to those it was accusing — because they did not want to hear inconvenient facts that might undermine their predetermined narrative.
I fear WaPo doesn't agree with Thiessen's view of this story, but I give them credit for running it. Maybe they do agree that Feinstein didn't live up to journalistic ethics in her parting shot as committee chair.