The political damage may already have been done to Bush’s key man

The US media is struggling to reconcile two cherished values. One is the idea that journalists must not be forced to reveal their sources. The other is much less noble, but no less cherished: get Bush.

Or, more accurately, get Karl Rove, the man on whom the president most depends.

At the moment, the 'get Bush' urge is winning. Which is not surprising because, to left-wing liberal journalists, Rove represents everything they loathe in the Bush administration.