So a major newspaper, say a major newspaper of record gets a hold of some classified government material,

say some leaked documents, some leaked government diplomatic cables, and prints those documents.

Well, what has that newspaper done? Has it exercised its rights under the First Amendment,

or has it betrayed the nation? And does the answer to that question depend on the consequences of publication?

Let's argue that out. That's what we are here for. This is another debate from Intelligence

Square US. I'm John Donovan of ABC News. We are at the Skurball Center for the Performing Arts

at New York University. And on this stage, we have two teams of debaters, two tables, two members

each, arguing for the motion. Freedom of the press does not extend to state secrets.

We have Gabriel Schoenfeld, who is author of necessary secrets, national security, the media,

and the rule of law, and his partner, Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security,

and co-founder of the Chertoff Group. Arguing against the motion, Alan Dershowitz,

the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, and David Sanger, Chief Washington

Car Respondent for the New York Times. There will be winners and losers in this debate. It's a

contest in which you, our live audience, act as the judges. By the time the debate has ended,

you will have been asked to vote twice, once before and once after, and the team that has changed

the most minds will be declared our winner. So, on to round one, opening statements by each

debater in turn. Our motion is, freedom of the press does not extend to state secrets,

and arguing for that motion, I'd like to introduce Gabriel Schoenfeld, senior fellow

at the Hudson Institute, and you are also a chess player, I understand,

chess master at the US Federation, chess federation. That's right. So you've come to play and

to win. Yes, and I can see far ahead as well. Ladies and gentlemen, Gabriel Schoenfeld.

The gravity of the issue we're debating here tonight cannot be overstated. At stake is nothing

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