May 11, 2003

The Press Grandees of the

The Press Grandees of the Left In Crisis!

Le Monde! The NYT! For the record, I agree with David Adesnik that the NYT is a national institution that we should all be grateful to have--despite its so often blatant bias that this blog often chronicles--and that it will emerge stronger from this crisis. (Blogger links are down so please scroll to David's Sunday May 11th post)

But, on to Jayson Blair, and his mammoth record of distortion, outright lies, plagiarism, fake by-lines and so on. Yes I'm saddened that his editors didn't do a better job of monitoring. And it is a no-brainer that the Times will need to further investigate "the newsroom's processes for training, assignment and accountability."

But what really infuriates me most are Blair's morally defunct actions themselves. Take this fabrication (among myriad) that the Times has, to its credit, been chronicling:

"For Families of the Dead, a Fateful Knock on the Door

MARCH 31, 2003

FACTUAL ERRORS Mr. Blair embellished certain details while incorporating notes from a co-author into the article. He wrote that Stacy L. Menusa and her 3-year-old son were "standing in the driveway of her parents' home" when two marines arrived with news of her husband's death. Ms. Menusa, in a recent interview, said that she and her son were inside the house at the time."

How dare Jayson Blair cheaply dramatize the most painful moments any family will ever face? I am repulsed by his actions and sincerely hope the NYT will never have such a charlatan on their staff again.