FNW: Geraldo and the NYT

File under: You know it's really bad when...

Even Neal Gabler thought that the New York Times behaved reprehensibly with respect to Geraldo Rivera. There was unanimity and no caviling when Eric Burns asked the panel (Jane Hall, Jim Pinkerton, Cal Thomas, and Neal Gabler) if there was any excuse for the New York Times not retracting fully its assertion that Geraldo "nudged" rescue workers out of the way to get a better story. Video tape showed that this was not true, and when confronted with this proof of inaccurate reporting, the Times reporter, Alessandra Stanley, said that her use of the word "nudge" was metaphorical. To this the ultra-liberal Neal said, "Yeah, like telling your teacher 'The dog ate my homework' is metaphorical."

The story popped into national prominence (at least enough to penetrate this blogger's fog) when the NYT's public editor, Byron Calame, called the Times to task for not giving Geraldo his due. Ms. Stanley's statement was false and the paper needed to retract it. Mr. Calame's graciousness, fair mindedness, and sense of integrity are clearly evident as he attempts to get The Newspaper of Record to adhere to some modicum of journalistic standards:

ONE of the real tests of journalistic integrity is being fair to someone who might be best described by a four-letter word.

Yes, that was the first sentence of his editorial. Just to show how deep I am, I sat here and pondered for more than a nanosecond just exactly which four letter word he was thinking of.

Geraldo to the rescue: no nudgingCal Thomas has it right: the NYT cannot mention Fox or any of its reporters without a snide comment. The NYT's reporting is often arrogant and unprofessional, which is probably why more and more people are turning to the Washington Post as their national newspaper.

Comments

[Howarde]

When Giraldo was searching that basement in Chicago (?) for some gangster's treasure, I gave up on him. Phew.

But then, there he was in Afghanistan and later Iraq, "Whoops, that was a bullet whizzing by." Yet, as I laughed, I put up a star next to his name and now I say, "He's damned well earned his spurs." They're short of toilet paper over there, and the NYT might just be good enough for the job.

Giraldo has my respect; he's entitled to it from the NYT also.