Before you do, read Glenn's prior post that started the whole thing.

Here's part of the original post, after Glenn quotes an exchange Todd had on Morning Joe about the possibility that Eric Holder may open an investigation on the torture issue:

This is about as typical a discussion as it gets among media stars as to why investigations are so very, very wrong and unfair and unwise.  Still, this discussion in particular vividly highlights several important points worth noting about the role of the establishment media:

(1) In response to virtually every media criticism (at least the few they acknowledge), establishment journalists will insist that their role is to be steadfastly neutral.   They simply report on the debates, not take sides or express opinions about them.  Taking one side or the other is not their role.  Only partisan ideologues do that.

Yet here is Chuck Todd -- who covers the White House for NBC News -- explicitly arguing against investigations, and adopting the Bush/right-wing mentality to do so.  Investigations are a distraction from what matters.  It's extremely unfair to hold lawyers accountable when they authorize criminal conduct.  It's "dangerous" for one administration to investigate the prior one where that prior administration had its DOJ lawyers authorize what was being done.

Wouldn't the standard claim of establishment journalists maintain that Chuck Todd shouldn't have (or at least not express) opinions on these topics?  Yet here he is -- as so many establishment journalists routinely do -- explicitly advocating against investigations of Bush-era crimes.  Even more notably, the arguments in favor of such investigations merit no mention whatsoever.  Would anyone listening to this discussion even have the slightest idea what the arguments are in favor of investigating and prosecuting?  

The notion that these establishment journalists don't choose sides and are mere honest brokers of debates is, rather obviously, transparent fiction.  What justifies Chuck Todd becoming an advocate in alliance with those who oppose investigations of Bush crimes?  Isn't he supposed to be a reporter?

The four points that follow are scathing in their criticism, which no doubt prompted Todd to e-mail Glenn to say that he wished Glenn had e-mailed Todd first before publishing his post.  When Glenn invited Todd to do a podcast interview, Todd actually agreed and the interview that followed the next day is something else - most striking to me is how glib and dismissive Todd is about the issues that are at the center of all of this investigate/don't investigate dilemma.

Speaking to 5,000 NAACP members gathered for their 100th convention, Obama said that racial prejudice persists, but "overall, there's probably never been less discrimination in America than there is today." [snip]

NAACP Chairman Julian Bond said Obama's election does not mean racial inequality no longer exists. He referred to a recent incident in which a group of mostly black children were asked to leave a private swim club outside Philadelphia. "The fact that the president can go in the front door of Air Force One but his daughters can't swim in a pool in Philadelphia demonstrates that the NAACP's work is still needed."

Still, Lance's teammate, Alberto Contador, looks strong and set to win his second Tour. Another teammate, Andreas Klöden, moves up to 5th with Levi's withdrawal; Astana still looks strong, but it puts a damper on Lance's tour.

Here's the WSJ Law Blog:

Yoo has now turned for help to Miguel Estrada, the powerhouse Gibson Dunn appellate litigator who was nominated by Bush to serve on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Estrada's nomination was scuttled by Democrats, a point repeatedly harped on by Republican senators in the Sotomayor confirmation hearings. (Okay, we can only turn away from Sonia for so long.)

The Justice Department had been defending Yoo in the Padilla suit, but DOJ has agreed to foot the bill for Estrada's services, according to an article today in The Recorder. Conflicts of interest are behind the change in counsel, ethics experts say.

"The department so far has been able to provide direct representation in this case by arguing that the lawsuit should be dismissed for qualified immunity reasons, and that remains the department's position," a Justice spokeswoman told the Recorder. "But as this case moves forward, the defendant deserves the opportunity to retain defense counsel that can make any and all arguments available on his behalf."

Estrada is also defending Yoo, who is now a law professor at Berkeley, in an internal Justice Department investigation of the memos. (Here's an earlier LB post on that investigation, which is ongoing.)

I contend that almost nobody under the age of 55 cares a rat's patoot about the PGA unless either Tiger or Phil are still in it on Saturday.

The House has voted to expand the range of the nation's wild horses and burros by millions of acres and to block a plan to kill thousands of the animals to prevent overgrazing.

link

If you think Greenwald handed Todd his head, check Bob's take on Rachel, etc.  "Sex, sex, sex," according to Bob...but not in a good way.

Sheesh...