No doubt President Barack Obama is privy to information that U.S. Sen. Barack Obama never imagined. As commander in chief, he is aware of dangers, domestic and foreign, that even the most informed member of Congress, not to mention the general public, can’t know.
That said, we are disturbed by a partial shift in Obama’s position on a federal shield law for professional journalists. The majority of states have such laws, which protect sensitive news sources and whistle blowers from exposure, and protect news reporters from going to jail for keeping those sources anonymous.
For many years now, several members of Congress, including Indiana’s Richard Lugar and Mike Pence, have worked patiently to bring a federal shield statute in line with those of the states. For eight years, the George W. Bush administration fought those efforts with an unprecedented zeal.
As the junior senator from Illinois, Obama co-sponsored the very sort of protective federal legislation his administration is now attempting to weaken. At issue is how much influence the White House should have on forcing a journalist to reveal his or her source in a story that concerns “classified information.” (For the Bush White House, almost everything but the First Family’s grocery lists seemed to warrant “classified” status.)
The passed House version of the shield law, and a version currently idling in the Senate Judiciary Committee, provide for judicial review of such questions. If and when the executive branch contends published information threatens national security, but a news organization insists it is about the public’s right to know, a federal judge would hear both arguments, confidentially, and decide.
Sounding eerily like its predecessor, the Obama White House now wants the Senate bill to be changed to allow its wishes — and words — to weigh more than the news media’s before the judge ever hears the two sides. If the presidential administration in charge said, “This will (or already did) jeopardize national security,” a judge would be bound to defer to that declaration without real argument or proof.
When the Bush administration was practicing this kind of unilateral stifling of information, Sen. Obama rightly disapproved. He may now deeply believe that his White House would never abuse such power — and it might not. But we don’t know that anymore than we know what future administrations might do.
There is a reason such veteran legislators as Lugar and Pence — people who do not play fast and loose with national security — have put their efforts into constructing this reasonable federal shield law. President Obama and his security advisers need to consider the history of this law and the intentions of the men and women who have crafted it and guided it through Congress. Sen. Obama was quite articulate on the subject.
Editorials
TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Federal shield law needs to be passed, not weakened
- Editorials
-
-
EDITORIAL: Remembering Henryville
In the era of instant communication, the past seems to arrive much quicker.
-
EDITORIAL: Towering response
It comes as incredibly sad news that a Garfield Towers resident has succumbed as the result of a fire last week at the northside apartment complex.
-
EDITORIAL: Independent running mates
Almost certainly, running mates will not influence voters choosing Indiana’s next governor.
-
EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
• Cream of the crop
• Keep the ideas flowing
• Remembering fallen officers
-
EDITORIAL: Hazards of the spring abundant now on I-70
A major holiday weekend is approaching. The weather has been consistently inviting for travel and outdoor activity. Gas prices are even inching downward.
-
EDITORIAL: Embrace the Sycamores
Terre Haute should understand the rarity of an opportunity to celebrate a championship.
-
EDITORIAL: Good choice for stability
For the first time in 25 years, Indiana will have a new chief justice for its Supreme Court. For those who value stability on the state’s highest court — and we count ourselves among those who do — the appointment Tuesday of longtime Justice Brent Dickson is good news.
-
EDITORIAL: Correcting the prison imbalance
Terre Haute will no longer count federal prisoners when the city slices its population into six equal City Council districts. That decision by the City Council last week to remove the inmates at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex from the council district mathematical formula may not make waves, but it makes sense.
-
EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the News
• Sometimes bureaucracies do listen
• April hours bring May flowers
• Getting our airport off the ground
-
EDITORIAL: When it’s IU vs. UK, there’s got to be a way
If the annual Indiana-Kentucky basketball game was not significant, would the coaches of the two universities be talking like this?
-
EDITORIAL: Sen. Lugar’s compelling message
Richard Lugar, no stranger to reading political tea leaves, undoubtedly knew for weeks that defeat was coming Tuesday night in his primary fight for re-election against a more-conservative-than-thou opponent. A statement Lugar released just hours after his loss of titantic proportions indicates that the six-term incumbent saw the reality even before he knew Richard Mourdock was to be his opponent this May.
-
EDITORIAL: Reviewing the landscape
The compelling story line surrounding the race between Richard Lugar and Richard Mourdock dominated most of the local primary election chatter. With those stunning results now in the books and Mourdock heading toward a showdown with Democratic Party nominee Joe Donnelly of South Bend (the current U.S. House rep from the 2nd District), it’s time to survey the landscape for other general election races that will be worthy of attention.
-
EDITORIAL: GOP changed; Lugar didn’t
Six terms. Overwhelming popularity. A statesman and a gentleman. A visionary. An icon in the annals of U.S. Senate leadership, even world leadership. So dominating on the political landscape that the opposing party did not even produce a candidate in the last election.
-
EDITORIAL: An exercise in democracy
Primary elections rarely draw the same levels of participation as general elections.
-
EDITORIAL: Fight against child abuse demands ongoing attention
As with many of our nation’s most maddening and perplexing social problems, one hardly knows how to fathom the egregious wrongs that occur when a child is abused.
-
EDITORIAL: A ‘giant’ for his hometown
Home is where the heart is. That’s true for all of us. In addition, your heart can take you home.
-
EDITORIAL: Curbing corruption a worthwhile crusade
If you are cynical about government, down to its most local levels, you may think it is overrun — or even controlled — by corruption.
-
EDITORIAL: The politics of Primary 2012
In less than a week, voting Hoosiers get a chance to make a statement about the future of politics in their state and beyond. But whatever that statement turns out to be, the final punctuation marks won’t be added until November. It’s possible that nothing will be settled by the end of the night May 8.
-
EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
• Their footsteps can lead us
• It would be music to his ears
• Feeding a genuine need
-
EDITORIAL: Hoosier Republicans should stick with Richard Lugar
Until late 2008, most Hoosiers were quite pleased — and in many cases, darn right proud — to call Richard Lugar their senior U.S. senator.
-
EDITORIAL: Matt Branam: 1954-2012
The sudden death of 57-year-old Matt Branam on Friday morning continues to leave an air of sadness hanging over the community.
-
EDITORIAL: A transplant from St. Ann’s
It would be understandable, for most of us, if we were madder than the opposite of heaven if a beloved, historic, personal part of our lives was to be taken away against our will.
-
EDITORIAL: Pragmatic approach to downtown development benefits community
Terre Haute has known for some time now that Indiana State University’s master plan includes creation of student residential centers off-campus in the nearby downtown area.
-
TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: A salute to pride of ’55
Terre Haute gets the chance to witness and appreciate the extent of its rich baseball legacy this Saturday. Its past and present will merge at Bob Warn Field.
-
EDITORIAL: A match of Mitt and Mitch?
Not every Indiana governor’s endorsement of a presidential candidate has made instant national news as did Mitch Daniels’ support for Mitt Romney on Wednesday.
-
EDITORIAL: Drilling for fairness
Consistency and fairness were on trial Monday as the Vigo County commissioners grappled with a controversial rezoning request from a property owner who wants to drill for oil on his land near Hawthorn Park northeast of Terre Haute.
-
EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
Cheers, jeers and tears
-
EDITORIAL: Be fair, consistent, but keep smokefree ordinance on track
The steps toward a healthier, more vibrant community should continue moving forward.
-
EDITORIAL: Inspired by tradition, celebration
With the observance of Orthodox Easter on Sunday, the spring holy holidays for Christians and Jews will have passed for another year.
-
EDITORIAL: No need to sing the blues
The words from Terre Haute Board of Works President Bob Murray on Monday afternoon were as sweet to the ear as a blues riff from an electric guitar: “The bottom line is, [Blues at the Crossroads] should be able to operate just as it has before. It will get worked out.”
- More Editorials Headlines
-
EDITORIAL: Remembering Henryville
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Beryl Threatens Rain, Winds on Southeast Coast
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Today in History
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Astronauts Enter World's 1st Private Supply Ship
Shell Readies Arctic Drill Ship
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
Passenger Restrained on Flight to Miami Arrested
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Dragon Arrives at Space Station in Historic 1st
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Police: Gunman Has Hostages in Realty Office
Native Americans' Olympic Medals Displayed in DC
Raw Video: Man Rescued From River in China
Beyonce Entertains the First Family
Celtics crush Sixers in Game 7
Alleged Lego Thief Faces Felony Charges
Has Snooki Named Her Baby?
Heat Wave Warms Holiday Weekend
Inspiration for the class of 2012
Colorado College Student Shot While Trespassing
Will Smith & Josh Brolin on "Men in Black 3"
80-Year-Old Skydiver's Nightmare Jump
JWoww Sizzles in a Black Bikini
Sliders on the Grill
Cruise ship crunch
Backstage With Beyonce
Ultimate Creamy Potato Salad
Pope's Personal Butler Under Arrest
Jenny McCarthy's New Man
Tyler's Classic Coleslaw
Britney Spears Under X Factor Fire
Flesh-Eating Bacteria Victim Hits Milestone
