Matt Yglesias

Help Marc Ambinder With His Conundrum

My former colleague Marc Ambinder is facing a dilemma:

McCain campaign airs provocatively misleading ads.

The press has a conundrum.

If we want to point out how misleading they are, we air the ad.

McCain’s campaign wins the point.

If refuse to point out how misleading they are, McCain’s campaign escapes criticism.

I can think of a few possible ways out of this specific dilemma. But here’s a larger point. Journalists construct “narratives” about political personalities and campaigns that color their coverage. Maybe this observation ought to influence the press’ narrative about McCain.

If you have other suggestions for Marc, why not email him or leave some thoughts in comments I can pass on.

Let The Weekend Begin

I’m ready to say Ambinder FTW with this scooplet of a charter plane heading from Midway in Chicago to Delaware. Time to leave the office and go hit up some friends’ party so it’s possible that I won’t be able to make it immediately to the laptop when the announcement comes.