More fetid evidence of the corrupted nature of our media system. A good behind-the-scenes critique of Tim Russert’s role in the ‘Plamegate’ affair, and his disingenuous handling of it.

Look, I know NBC News and Russert would much prefer to debate hoary charges against me rather than the real issues at hand. So let me remind them what those issues are.

Russert refuses to come clean with his audience about his role in Plamegate . He is a participant. He was interviewed under oath by Fitzgerald. But he continued to report on Plamegate as if he were a disinterested observer rather than a major player. And he still refuses to come clean and explain why he fought to keep from testifying in front of the Plamegate grand jury about his fateful chat with Scooter Libby — even after Libby signed a waiver allowing him to do so.

Plamegate is the perfect segue to another unanswered question. How can someone with these ethical issues go and speak on ethics in the media, as Russert is about to do at Ripon College in Wisconsin next Thursday? And why is NBC refusing to disclose what his speaking fee is?

Russert’s latest ethical lapse is his unseemly use of Meet the Press to promote James Carville’s new XM radio sports show while refusing to come clean about the fact that Carville’s co-host is Russert’s college-age son, Luke.

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