^ Indeed. Post haste.

I think this sucks.

Lott’s a special case, because of how he voted and what he did during Clinton’s impeachment. But even outing Lott probably isn’t cool — it’s very hard for me to get a handle on it, because I’m so angry at the Republican party now.

But I don’t want to live in a world where everyone’s sex life is dragged out to humiliate them. I’m glad ABC didn’t go public with this stuff, and I’d hope they’d do it even if their own people weren’t involved. They shouldn’t do it because it’s wrong, and if it takes having one of their own in that situation to make them see that it’s wrong, I’m glad that at least they got the message.

It’s not a matter of faith. I was a reporter myself. Real journalists (fewer and fewer of those around these days) go by three things: Instincts, judgment, and facts. Faith is irrelevant at best.

My instincts tell me that you’re right about the Trent Lott story. I’ve been urging you to release all of the facts, because at the end of the day it’s the facts that rule the day. You counsel patience, but my judgment leads me to counsel speed. You’re in control, so you’ll do what you’ll do. I am a news taker, not a news maker.

I don’t have faith in Radar, or in you for that matter. What I did is read their coverage, and yours. From doing so, one thing is clear: It is a fact that Radar didn’t dispute you about Donaldson being on Palfrey’s list. Rather, Radar disputed you about the circumstances surrounding Donaldson’s name being in her call records, and they questioned your judgment in handling the matter.

My instincts tell me that Radar is correct, but it’s a weak signal: I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re right. My instincts also tell me that we (your readers) will never have the facts. My judgment tells me that it’s a side issue, and that conflating it with the Trent Lott story does you no particular good.

All of that said, it is facts that rule the day. They trump instinct and usually even judgment. This is why, in all of my commentary in all of the threads, I’ve been stressing my judgment that you should be putting the facts — all of them, in a verifiable fashion — out there sooner rather than later. Bear in mind that a mere assertion of fact is not a fact. Only a verifiable fact is a fact, as readers of the Drudge Report have come to learn.

Don’t start thinking that I’m against you on this. Other way around. I want to see your story out there, in a form that will be unassailable as to the facts, which in my world rule the day. I realize this is a long comment, but I hope it clarifies what I have been trying to say. I wish you the best of luck. Really, I do.

One last thing: Going after someone for their spelling errors is the last refuge of a losing argument. If Radar misspelled Palfrey’s name, it’s immaterial.

[…] | Romney’s Holy Underwear Inspected | Huckabee Steps on Mormon Land Mine | Unliked Ike Is Dead ABC News Plays Fast & Loose Again Tuesday December 4th, 2007 4:07 PM by BHDC Staff   Filed under: ABC News This time it’svia a Photoshopped pic of Hillary Clinton an Barack Obama. Last time it was a cover-up of Sam Donaldson’s involvement with the “DC Madam.” What’s next? […]