In a bold move, the UK Guardian has published an open letter calling for President Obama’s “Transparency Award” to be rescinded. The letter states:

On 28 March 2011, President Obama was given a “transparency award” from five “open government” organisations: OMB Watch, the National Security Archive, the Project on Government Oversight, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and OpenTheGovernment.org. Ironically – and quite likely in response to growing public criticism regarding the Obama administration’s lack of transparency – heads of the five organisations gave their award to Obama in a closed, undisclosed meeting at the White House. If the ceremony had been open to the press, it is likely that reporters would have questioned the organisations’ proffered justification for the award, in contrast to the current reality…

They then list examples demonstrating this lack of transparency. To sign the letter, click here.

Coverage of the 40th anniversary continues with an interview with Daniel Ellsberg in which he blasts “unprecedented campaign to crack down on public servants who reveal information that Congress and American citizens have a right to know.” The Pentagon Papers have now been declassified, and the ACLU is suing the American government to get the Wikileaks documents that have been released officially declassified. The Wikileaks documents have revealed numerous instances of corruption and despotism all over the world and provided a catalyst for the Arab Spring. “History has vindicated Daniel Ellsberg,” he said, “and history will vindicate Bradley Manning. Both men are American heroes.” PBS News Hour also has a special on the Pentagon Papers in which Jeffrey Brown discusses the leak’s significance with historian Michael Beschloss and journalist Sanford Ungar.

Hans Ulrich Obrist continues his conversation with Julian Assange and this time touches on the topic of Bradley Manning, stating, “Bradley Manning and I, and other people, are being swept up in a very aggressive operation by the United States to advance the interest of certain decision makers in the United States and we must stand united. His plight, of course, deserves more attention, and this organization has spent a significant amount of effort in getting more attention for his plight.” Assange also states the challenges that face Wikileaks in their attempt to assist Manning’s defense without providing “too much assistance or concrete and citable forms of assistance could be used to infer a connection between the source and us.”