Put The Rumors To Rest

by digby

I have no way of knowing which of the rumors, if any, surrounding Governor Paterson are true. This big story that was supposed to be dropping any minute in the NY Times still hasn’t done so and at this point, Paterson is just hanging out there having to answer for every delirious little bit of gossip that comes down the pike. Whatever the story is, it seems to me that he’s right about this much:

“The human decency, if not journalists’ ethics, I think would compel an organization when they see a person being slandered for over two weeks now … to clear the air and at least say that the charges that are being made are not in the perimeters of our investigation.”

Absent a public clarification, the governor pleaded for the Times to publish its piece at once, “so I could be out of my misery.”

It’s not clear whether the governor will get his wish. He said that New York Times Albany Bureau Chief Danny Hakim, whom he identified as the writer of the article, told him he was not sure when it would run.

At this point the NY Times is just letting this man die a death of a thousand cuts. I suppose it’s possible that when they finally reveal whatever it is, it will seem insignificant compared to the rumors, which are becoming so ridiculous that it’s clear a witch hunt has begun. Or maybe it’s so awful that he will be ruined anyway. But what if they don’t publish at all? This stuff is just hanging out there, with the Times blandly clinging to their journalistic “ethics” as this man has his reputation shredded. Why is that ok?

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