HalperinGate: So Much for Any-Publicity-Is-Good-Publicity

It's the kind of "scandal" that really only gets noticed by the 10 people in Washington to whom it's news and right-wing bloggers. As leaked to Drudge: A mid-level manager at ABC News wrote a memo that, essentially, pointed out that both campaigns lie about each other and distort facts, but that BC04 lies about the subjects central to their campaign.

Yeah, we were shocked, too.

Unfortunately, that's not exactly how the memo put it. The memo made this simple but oft-overlooked point seem like a subtle insight worthy of debate and an occasion for pompous solipsism. Imagine a colleague hitting you with this:

It goes without saying that the stakes are getting very high for the country and the campaigns -- and our responsibilities become quite grave. I do not want to get into an endless colloquy that none of us have time for -- but I do love the sound of my own voice, and I do not want to stifle it.

As Nagourney and Fineman both agree, spelling is important. We have a responsibility to spell things correctly. It's up to each person to spellcheck himself, of course. But as one of the few news organizations with the skill and strength to check other people's spelling, we should make spelling seem like a topic earth-shattering importance.

Yeah, that'd be our reakshun, too.

 ABCNEWS POLITICAL DIRECTOR MEMO SPARKS CONTROVERSY: BOTH SIDES NOT 'EQUALLY ACCOUNTABLE' [DRUDGE]

 THE ABC OUTRAGE [NY POST]

Related:

 The Simplified Spelling Society [SpellingSociety.com]