A Leak At The Top?

We’ve all heard the stories. A political aide phones his favorite reporter with a scoop, a story no one else has access to and one that will benefit the politician. Can it go too far?

Two recent stories published by the New York Times appear to expose top secret government information to the general public. Last week Senator John McCain spoke out on these leaks and called for an investigation whether the information shared was for political gain by the current administration.

At a hastily called press conference, President Obama emphatically stated, “The notion that my White House would purposely release classified national security information is offensive.” McCain later said he is “offended” by the leaks themselves.

“It’s obvious on its face that this information came from individuals who are in the administration,” McCain said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “The president may not have done it himself, but the president certainly is responsible as commander in chief.”

Despite a strong rebuke from President Obama (and reiterated by Press Secretary Jay Carney) even Democrats began calling calling for a quick response by Team Obama.

Today, in an interview, Representative Pete King (R-NY) Chairman of the Committee for Homeland Security gave a clear indication that the leaks were not just ‘scoops’ for a story. Watch as this knowledgeable member shares how much secret information is now apparently public knowledge. His analysis gives clear indication that there were leaks at the top.

What do you think? Were aides in the administration trying to help their boss look tough? Does this help President Obama in his reelection bid or will this be another in a growing line of errors by an inexperienced president and his administration?