The Ongoing Battle Between the Bush Administration and the Media
April 2007
National security interests claimed by the government and military and freedom of the press and the people’s right to know often conflict, let alone in times of war. During the past year, there was a wave of media reports in the United States revealing that the Bush administration had been deploying various secret activities since the September 11 in 2001, both domestically and internationally, as new antiterrorism measures which have been strongly suspected of being unconstitutional or illegal.
In response to those reports, the Bush administration is developing a large-scale “leak investigation,” targeting indictment not only against government officials but also against journalists, claiming that leaks and reports of confidential information related to national security issues will impede antiterrorism activities and harm national security. These efforts are called the Bush administration’s “war on the press.”
One Supreme Court ruling is gaining new recognition in terms of the relationship between national security interests and freedom of the press: the 1971 Pentagon Papers case. This case involved the U.S. government’s prior restraints on press report regarding classified documents compiled by the Department of Defense (History of U.S. Decision Making Process on Vietnam Policy, 1945-1967), and the Supreme Court dismissed the government’s claim due to the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of the press, to lead to a media victory.
Nevertheless, despite this ruling, journalism activities in the U.S. are still under the harsh conditions in terms of relations with the government.
“Paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell.” (Hugo Black)