McCrystal and Gotcha Journalism

David Brooks at the New York Times says the exposure journalism that ousted McCrystal does a disservice to everyone by creating mistrust between the government and the press. Brooks says that private gaffs like McCrystal’s are a structural part of a highly competitive Washington culture. It’s dedicated people letting off steam, he says, and that it can topple some of the most important people risks emptying government and private posts of highly skilled individuals. “Another scalp is on the wall,” says Brooks. “Government officials will erect even higher walls between themselves and the outside world. The honest and freewheeling will continue to flee public life, and the cautious and calculating will remain.”