Official Optimism

John Fund spanks Harry Reid:

"Is Senator Harry Reid all that swift when it comes to U.S. intelligence matters? Last Wednesday, the Minority Leader appeared on KRNV-TV's 'Nevada Newsmakers' program and dropped a stunning revelation. He had been informed just that day that Osama bin Laden was killed in the giant Pakistan earthquake last month. 'I heard that Osama bin Laden died in the earthquake, and if that's the case, I certainly wouldn't wish anyone harm, but if that's the case, that's good for the world.'

"Intelligence analysts tell me that the only proper action by a top U.S. Senate leader who has been given such information is radio silence. If the report is true, such information is best released at a moment of the U.S. government's choosing. For one thing, as long as the information is tightly held, it can be used to sift out electronic intercepts that might lead to other Al Qaeda leaders. On the other hand, if Mr. Reid's public speculation proves groundless, it only embarrasses the U.S. and contributes to enemy morale."

Oh, come on. Does anyone doubt the White House would wait beyond the next prime-time TV slot to announce Osama's death?

How's the new Cynthia McFadden/Terry Moran/Martin Bashir "Nightline" playing with TV critics? Not so well. Here are some reviews, beginning with David Bianculli of New York's Daily News:

"The first installment of the drastically revamped, post-Ted Koppel edition of ABC's 'Nightline' was a wobbly affair . . .

"The trio of stories, while commendable in subject, were less so in scope. McFadden's piece, the one most typical of a classic 'Nightline' report, had her questioning priests on opposite sides of the debate about gay clergy. The interview, handled live, could have gone somewhere, but never got the chance. After five minutes, with the gay priest from Albany chomping to respond to his colleague's charge that homosexuality was 'a disorder,' McFadden shut down the discussion.

" 'I'm sorry,' she said, 'that's going to have to be the last word for tonight.'

"I'm sorry, too. I would have loved to hear his response.

"Similarly, in Bashir's intriguing feature story on an all-deaf high school football team with an undefeated record, five minutes was far too little time to do justice to the topic. Even Moran's live lead story, on the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, seemed incomplete. Five minutes was all Moran got, too, with an additional minute for a postreport debriefing with McFadden."

Robert Bianco makes a sweeping declaration in USA Today:

"In all but name, Nightline is gone.