Matthews Attempts to Get to the Bottom of NY Times 'Spy' Story

Newsweek correspondant Howard Fineman and New York Times' writer Anne Kornblut appeared on Hardball with Chris Matthews to discuss the Times report that the NSA was given permission by the Bush administration to spy on potential terrorists. This report just so happened to be printed on the front page of the Times a day after the successful election in Iraq. Surprisingly, Chris Matthews wanted to get the reason why the newspaper decided to print this information on the front page when the historic event in Iraq should have been the only story receiving big headlines. Matthews asked Kornblut "why did you break it today", only to get a simple response that "there was room in the paper". Matthews later followed up with "you have no criticism on this" [referring to the Times' decision to put this on the front page], Kornblut said "I was working on other things today so I don't know". How convenient.

[NY TIMES STORY]

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Transcript follows.

MATTHEWS: So what do you think about your paper running that story, the very day of the President's greatest victory? You guys are raining on his parade in the best day of his life.

KORNBLUT: If only we were that organized. No, I think this is a really good story, knew nothing about it.

MATTHEWS: Why did you break it today?

KORNBLUT: There was room in the paper. I honestly have no idea why, I don't think there was any big calculation behind if I had to guess.

MATTHEWS: Has the Times taken any stink from the WH for having take half the front page instead of praising the fact that 11 million Iraqis voted yesterday in the Arab world. You have no criticism on this?

KORNBLUT: I work there Chris, what are you talking about? No, half the front page was devoted to the Iraqi elections and honestly, I was working on other things today so I don't know.