Not One Sentence

I've just skimmed through Howie "Conflict-of-Interest" Kurtz's weekly Media Backtalk transcripts back to April 9, and was unable to find even a single sentence referring to the Post's shameful reporting of the Jessica Lynch story. (The fraudulent story, by Steno Sue Schmidt and Vernon Loeb, was published on April 3.) On the other hand, if I had a dollar for every time the word Blair appeared in the transcripts, I'd be buying a new computer right now.

Howie's got another little chit-chat this Monday. I'll be at work so I can't pose the question, but here's what I'd ask:

Last Thursday, Bob Woodward told Larry King that the Washington Post's reports by Susan Schmidt and Vernon Loeb on the Private Jessica Lynch story were "wrong." [Included so Howie can't use the "old news" dodge.] Doesn't the Post owe it to its readers to identify the Administration officials who, according to the Post, used your paper to lie to the public about the capture of Private Lynch? If not, why should the Post's readers ever trust an anonymous Administration source you quote, or another story by Ms. Schmidt or Mr. Loeb?

Of course Howie wouldn't acknowledge the question, but maybe it would make him sweat a little.

Update: I just realized that you can send questions in advance, to give Howie more time to prepare his dodge.