BOB GARFIELD: Now for a few of your letters. Many listeners wrote in with objections to our interview with Newsweek's Michael Isikoff on distortions in Michael Moore's film, Fahrenheit 9/11. Listener Pat Walker writes: "Isikoff claimed that Richard Clarke was a Clinton holdover. Richard Clarke was a longtime Republican who worked for Reagan, Bush I, Clinton and Bush II-- if you're going to point your finger at Moore for spinning the facts, you should avoid your own spin." Likewise, says Nancy Mims of Brookline, Massachusetts, quote, "In letting Mr. Isikoff's statements stand as the final word, OTM commits the same sin of omission that Isikoff criticizes in Fahrenheit 9/11.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: Listener Mark Roddy also thought we gave a free pass to Isikoff, but adds, "This is in stark contrast to the next interview with Christopher Ullman, on the subject of The Carlyle Group. In that interview, you were aggressive and challenging, and the interview was interesting and informative." But our talk with the Carlyle Group's chief of corporate communications also drew fire from some listeners, including Jon Gautier of Brooklyn, New York who wrote: "I don't get it. Notwithstanding the Darth Vader music you played to end the interview and a couple of snarky but easily-deflected questions from Bob, that interview was a PR godsend to Carlyle. I see from your website that the theme was "The Hardest PR Job in the World" rather than "The Truth Behind The Carlyle Group," but given the controversy around Carlyle, did you really need to give them such a gift?"

BOB GARFIELD: And also this week, an update. Back in May, we reported on the saga of former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds. Edmonds had told a closed session of the 9/11 Commission that in the days after September 11th, she discovered old intercepts that made detailed references to the terrorist plot -- intercepts that were overlooked because they were badly translated. She brought this and other alleged serious lapses to the attention of her superiors, and when that had no effect, to the attention of the FBI Director Robert Mueller and the Senate Judiciary Committee. The FBI then fired her and threw her out of her office, and the Justice Department imposed a gag order on her. Edmonds brought a whistleblower lawsuit against the FBI, but on Tuesday, Judge Reggie Walton threw out Edmonds' case, bowing to Attorney General John Ashcroft's invocation of the so-called "state secrets privilege," even though the judge found Ashcroft's position, quote, "Draconian." Sibel Edmonds intends to appeal, and we'll keep watching. [MUSIC UP AND UNDER]

BROOKE GLADSTONE: Keep your comments coming to onthemedia@wnyc.org, and please let us know where you're writing from (though you rarely do), and how to pronounce your name. [MUSIC]

BOB GARFIELD: Coming up, a new view of the toppling of a statue, and a warning to Rupert -- there's a fox loose in your hen house.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: This is On the Media, from NPR. [FUNDING CREDITS]