I was trashed recently on a right-wing blog by someone who thinks I've been an apologist here for Brian Williams. I just read over what I've posted here about the revelations and I don't quite see how this blogger gets that. I think I'm largely indifferent to whether or not he stays on the air, just as I'm largely indifferent as to whether folks on Fox News who utter untruths stay on the air. I think false statements should be recognized as such by the viewership and I think there should be retractions and apologies and humiliation, all of which we're getting to some extent in the Brian Williams matter. But I can't recall ever calling for any broadcaster to be fired or hung in the public square.
One area where I think I really disagree with this guy…with most political bloggers, I suspect, is this: When I hear or read a "news item" which assaults one of my beliefs with bogus "facts," I do not automatically presume premeditated, deliberate lying for political motives. I think that's probably the third most likely reason. #2 would be sensationalism to sell newspapers or get tune-in or web clicks. And #1 would be sheer, non-fancy bad reporting. Never attribute to deviousness that which can be explained as incompetence.