We have a name in journalism for people who repeatedly avoid reporters' attempts to get comments on big important issues.

And that name is spokesman and spokeswoman.

Ironically these mute spokespeople are most unhelpful after some juicy info was leaked that made an institution look bad and is often accompanied by a memo discouraging employees from talking to the media.

So... using what I've been learning in my physics and statistics and educational science I have reached a hypothesis of my own: Judith Miller is less helpful than a bad spokeswoman.

And unfortunately in this case - unlike most instances when such a system is in place - others don't seem willing to go on the record with what is really going
on.

When you consider the New York Times got into this mess because of leaking in the first place and Miller didn't even write a story for God's sake, well, I think there is only one logical next step.

And that step is for Miller to get on a government committee with Jayson Blair (plagarist), Robert Novak (deceitful windbag), Richard Cohen (for stupid columns like this) and others who need to a refresher course on what it is journalists do.
Example from their first session: Check facts before printing them not act as stooges for anonymous sources, etc.

I'd nominate Joseph Wilson and Valerie Plame - the real victims in this whole Miller mess - to be in charge of the committee and let those two decide if the "journalists/apologists" should
get any pay and how long the committee will last.

In Miller's case my suggestion is her immediate termination from the Times since she appears to be helping the paper restore needed credibility about as much as Dan Quayle helped Bush senior get taken seriously.

For extra credit each committee member will have to leak something to the media and then ask the source if they will go to jail to protect them.

Committee members will remind cooperating journalists they are not to do anything crazy or weird like leaving notes of important interviews from anonymous sources in bureau offices and then conveniently forgetting about them when asked by a prosecutor.

Last committee member to admit they have done a terrible disservice to the journalism community has to write an op-ed - yes, have it printed too - for The New York Times.

And, no, it can't be hidden behind the "subscription only" TimesSelect wall either.

That would be too easy.

And for what they have done to the journalism community they should pay, not be rewarded, let alone given bogus First Amendment awards, as is scheduled to occur with Miller.