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Murray Waas: Profile of an Intrepid Reporter

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Mon May 15, 2006 at 08:13:43 PM EST
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There's a great profile of Murray Waas in US News.com -- I'm so glad to see his great reporting be acknowledged.

With the publication in recent months of his news-breaking stories on the Bush administration's involvement in manipulating prewar Iraq intelligence - particularly its attempt to discredit former Ambassador Joseph Wilson and to out his CIA operative wife, Valerie Plame - Waas has gotten a sometimes bitter taste of what he refers to as his "five minutes of fame." He's now dealing not only with sources and editors but also pesky cable television bookers who never get the answer they want and new interest in his personal and professional life.

Murray explains why he won't go on tv. But my favorite quote is this:

One of the things I learned from the so-called Clinton scandals is there's a lot of hyperventilation, a lot of baseless allegations, and an assumption in Washington that being under investigation is a presumption of guilt. The desire and necessity and prodding of editors to be first with every new increment or detail was not only unfair to the Clinton administration during Whitewater, but there's a lot of unfair stories about Bush administration officials, particularly Rove. There is the presumption of innocence. A grand jury appearance does not mean an indictment. An indictment does not mean the person's guilty. And an allegation is simply an allegation. Journalists have failed to point this out, and should on a regular basis.

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