by J.J. Green, wtop.com
Several weeks ago, one of the officials at the White House told me “talking to local radio is not a good use of time for top intelligence and national security officials.” The official made the comment in response to more than 15 months of my requests to interview top White House and Obama Administration officials about national security and intelligence issues.
After the news of the “not a good use of time” comment became public, I was flooded by comments from stunned intelligence and national security officials, analysts, readers and listeners. One of the most poignant comments came from a reader named Mark:
“You guys carry the President’s weekly radio address don’t you? So if it’s important enough for him, why not for his staff?”
Another came from a Twitter user:
“If and when Internet, mobile phones and power for TV are down, local radio is always going to be there.”
Still, I wondered, do the folks who really make decisions at the White House get this?
Last week I made a mistake. I make them often, I’m not proud of any of them, least of all this one. But, it actually answered my question.
Swamped by deadlines and pressured for time after I got a tip that terrorist facilitator David Headley was possibly — just possibly — in the employ of the intelligence community when he was arrested in connection to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, I wrote and published a blog.
My mistake was not calling the CIA to hear what they had to say about it. I spoke with several other agencies, but not CIA.
Why? I forgot. Not an excuse, just a reality. I simply forgot to do it.
Later, after that story went public, a very astute intelligence official contacted me to advise me of my mistake.
“If anyone ever tells you again that people don’t pay attention to ‘local radio,’ please have them call me immediately.”
In addition to reminding me that CIA. has publicly stated that Headley has “never” been an asset, that message was confirmation that top intelligence officials were listening.
Whether that changes the mindset of some of our younger political types? I don’t know. We’ll see.