AG GONZALES' SOVIET-STYLE PERSUASION

I'm sure that AG Gonzales' latest will be a great comfort to journalists:

At yesterday's news conference, Gonzales also appeared to soften a statement he made on Sunday about the possibility that a current investigation might lead to the prosecution of New York Times reporters who first disclosed the NSA's warrantless eavesdropping program.

"Let me try to reassure journalists that my primary focus, quite frankly, is on the leak -- on leakers who share the information with journalists," Gonzales said yesterday. He added that he would prefer to "try to persuade" journalists "that it would be better not to publish those kind of stories."

Don't you love it? And doesn't it smack you in the face with typical Bush administration Soviet-style hypocrisy? If we can't "persuade" you not to publish leaks about this administration's illegal activities with threats to cut off your access and complaints to your corporate masters (both have indeed been remarkably effective during this administration), THEN we'll arrest and prosecute you. We're reasonable people.

Tags: Alberto Gonzales, prosecuting reporters, leaks