The Digital-Rectal Examination

Andrew Sullivan, quoting failed TV Guide filler writer Jeff Jarvis, resorts to the hoariest and most insipid of all virtue-of-blogging cliches, the digital-rectal examination:

"And we watch what we say because somebody's fact-checking our ass. And we take on the responsibilities that come with all that."

Oh, the burden. Heavy is the head that writes like a clown. It's like noblese oblige, but with a proctoscope.

Unfortunately for Sully, someone is checking his veracity. Seb at Sadly, No! informs us that the white man's burden isn't as burdensome as the white man wants us to think. Responding to Sully's claim of "tens of thousands" of words per month for his blog, Seb says:

Oh no no no no -- no no no! We shall limit our research to a single week of the Daily Dish (last week for no reason in particular.) Microsoft Word reports that it contained 7,603 words. A rough count shows that about half of that consists of quotes from articles, poseur alerts, and emails from Sullivan's other personalities readers. Once you count the part of the DailyDish Sullivan recycles into the WeeklyDish for the Washington Times, one is left with a couple of long posts on Reagan and AIDS or gay marriage, and a whole lot of linking to articles that argue the opposite of what Sullivan pretends they do. (i.e. sullivan, v. To base your argument on a source that actually argues the opposite what you claim it does. And yes, we coined that phrase!)

Now cough, Mr. Sullivan.