ABC news: The President said his privacy must be protected

Washington-ABC news reported that the President said the public should know as much as possible about government decision making but national security and personal privacy including his own, needed to be protected.

Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American Scientists Secrecy Project said "Protecting the president's personal e-mail does not in any way justify the pattern of withholding that we've seen."

Perhaps one of the great issues and the challenge of our time is the tension between and among the right to open government, and freedom of information and national security and the right to privacy.

There is no easy path in striking a balance between and among these issues. But in our system of checks and balances, a reasoned balance can be achieved. It may have to be through a vigorous press and public taking these issues before an independent judiciary (which is why maintaining an independent judiciary is very important). An independent judiciary may be able to strike the appropriate balance.