Reply #69: Because the number one reason to numb journalist didn't exist with

[The Backlash Cometh]

Katrina. Before Katrina, Rove, Cheney and Libby could pick up a phone and scare the hell out of editors by saying that there was a national security reason to stay mum. But Katrina was a natural disaster and the Bush Administration never anticipated it. And by the time they decided to take action, it was already too late. What's worse, Rove tried to turn it into a photo opportunity by making sure that Bush rode in with the cavalry. But they failed because they underestimated the sense of urgency.