General Discussion

Maru Kitteh

(31,925 posts)

44. Duty to act/report is in no way dependent on status. Asking everyone to be "on the level of an

Thu Sep 10, 2020, 12:21 PM

Sep 2020

American president" as a prerequisite for coming forth with potentially damning and/or potentially life-saving information truly elevates the President himself to an imperial autocrat. Such an expectation discharges anyone of responsibility from ever speaking truth to power.

Fauci
Col. Vindman
Marie Yovanovitch
William Taylor
Walter Schaub
Preet Bharara

Even The Mooch and Bolton, and many others that don't immediately spring to mind this moment.

I can't accept that as a premise to excuse Woodward from the duty to act. Neither can I accept the fallacy of speculative evidence "It wouldn't have mattered" because we cannot know how many lives would have been saved by Woodward coming forward, but one human life is worth more than Bob Woodward's ego or his book.

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Mea Culpa. I take back everything I said in defense of Bob Woodward on Wednesday... [View all] Hekate Sep 2020 OP

Self-kick Hekate Sep 2020 #1

Woodward outed himself this time KT2000 Sep 2020 #2

I'm not sure if there would have been any difference even if he came out earlier JI7 Sep 2020 #3

That's my thinking as well, and it's like that moral dilemma of a Photo Journalist taking a picture OnDoutside Sep 2020 #6

hardly the same Skittles Sep 2020 #57

nonsense Skittles Sep 2020 #9

all governors were being pushed to reopen. with that story out, in trump's own words, it certainot Sep 2020 #19

+1. BeckyDem Sep 2020 #43

Sorry, but that is rationalization for a heinous act. There is no way of knowing Maru Kitteh Sep 2020 #40

Many doctors disagree Tribetime Sep 2020 #64

Perhaps it wouldn't have made any difference PoindexterOglethorpe Sep 2020 #4

THIS malaise Sep 2020 #21

That's exactly my thought PO ... mr_lebowski Sep 2020 #45

It definitely would have saved lives Tribetime Sep 2020 #65

I'm sorry, but no. One man doesn't get to make that decision in a democracy Bucky Sep 2020 #66

This treats COVID 19 as a political tool. Ms. Toad Sep 2020 #67

Good piece. Thanks for sharing this, Hekate! n/t pnwmom Sep 2020 #5

The problem is that even with what they were doing, Trump got fed up with it interfering with his OnDoutside Sep 2020 #7

This message was self-deleted by its author Skittles Sep 2020 #8

Thank you, Hekate. Judi Lynn Sep 2020 #10

I love Pierce but completely disagree with his thesis here ... mr_lebowski Sep 2020 #11

Precisely Sherman A1 Sep 2020 #14

Really? druidity33 Sep 2020 #16

Nope ... I think you're forgetting how many people were already saying he's playing down mr_lebowski Sep 2020 #61

I don't disagree about Woodward. Just like Bolton and Cohen, he held back 50 Shades Of Blue Sep 2020 #12

I sadly agree, gab13by13 Sep 2020 #15

Thank you for posting this - I missed Charlie Pierce yesterday. GoneOffShore Sep 2020 #13

Woodward did not know last spring what the summer of 2020 would look like... Sancho Sep 2020 #17

it maximizes his sales Skittles Sep 2020 #58

I don't think Woodward cares about sales...he has plenty of work and money... Sancho Sep 2020 #62

There was never going to be a coordinated federal response DeminPennswoods Sep 2020 #18

I understand some of the anger directed at Woodward BannonsLiver Sep 2020 #30

Duty to act/report is in no way dependent on status. Asking everyone to be "on the level of an Maru Kitteh Sep 2020 #44

It wasn't a secret solely between Trump and Woodward DeminPennswoods Sep 2020 #53

I don't agree at all BannonsLiver Sep 2020 #54

Where did you see me say "it would have changed everything?" I didn't. Maru Kitteh Sep 2020 #59

whenever i see woodward, i just think of how his character was played in 'DICK'. pansypoo53219 Sep 2020 #20

I love that movie Poiuyt Sep 2020 #42

whenever i see woodward, i just think of how his character was played in 'DICK'. pansypoo53219 Sep 2020 #22

despite Woodworks motives.... quickesst Sep 2020 #23

Lots of strategic analysis here genxlib Sep 2020 #24

What would have changed in your estimation, if Woodward had "told"? CTyankee Sep 2020 #46

I don't know what the effect would have been genxlib Sep 2020 #51

The thing is -- and I may be wrong here -- "everybody" knew he knew...the pukes knew but CTyankee Sep 2020 #52

I think it is easy to overestimate how close people pay attention genxlib Sep 2020 #56

Accomplice to murder? lark Sep 2020 #25

Yes, they are both venal... Spazito Sep 2020 #26

I stand before you vindicated. n/t Hugin Sep 2020 #27

The snippet from this excellent post that captures it for me gratuitous Sep 2020 #28

More deflecting and giving Trump a pass. Let's just admit liberals suck at politics. Drunken Irishman Sep 2020 #29

Well the good news is in the real world it's not really being covered that way BannonsLiver Sep 2020 #31

They're smarter than liberals. Drunken Irishman Sep 2020 #38

Yes BannonsLiver Sep 2020 #39

Completely terrible argument. Happy Hoosier Sep 2020 #32

I understand. I'm conflicted. But given we're where we are today nolabear Sep 2020 #33

I thought DU was the safest place to express my anger toward Woodward Greybnk48 Sep 2020 #47

Sorry about the attacks. It's weird sometimes. nolabear Sep 2020 #55

Sometimes the shoe fits BannonsLiver Sep 2020 #70

hard to believe.... quickesst Sep 2020 #34

yesterday evening on progressive XM radio GusBob Sep 2020 #35

This is a learning experience for all journalists and anyone who Baitball Blogger Sep 2020 #36

Only one of them was President of the United States Tom Rinaldo Sep 2020 #37

Why all the criticism? notinkansas Sep 2020 #41

Our experts continued to tell us that we didn't really need masks Greybnk48 Sep 2020 #48

So of course now that they know, Trump supporters are going to put their masks on correctly? LisaL Sep 2020 #50

That's exactly true. But not in the way you are saying. Greybnk48 Sep 2020 #60

He was very likely contractually forbidden by his publisher from disclosing details from the book markpkessinger Sep 2020 #49

so called "journalists" like woodward make me regret ihas2stinkyfeet Sep 2020 #63

I honestly cannot believe people are wasting their time blaming Bob Woodward DonaldsRump Sep 2020 #68

There's no telling whether Bob Woodward could have made a difference had he spoken out sooner. crickets Sep 2020 #69

We knew all along because it wasn't a secret. tavernier Sep 2020 #71

Good point DonaldsRump Sep 2020 #72