...while the blogosphere sometimes reports by starting with a tip or a theory (Obama didn't write his own book! Palin didn't bear her own child!) and testing it by making it public, I'm old-fashioned enough not to print what I can't confirm.
That is probably a pretty fair reaction for a reporter, but in defense of the blogosphere:
- The Palin did not bear her own child rumor was shot down within days of appearing (by members of the blogosphere).
- The Obama didn't write his own book! rumor, as far as I am aware, has not been shot down, but what harm would there be for a reporter to say "Hey Obama, some people claim that Bill Ayers was the ghost writer for your book. Any Comments?".
