NY TIMES SET TO SLAM JAYSON BLAIR 'TELL ALL'

Drudge Report ^ | March 7, 2004

[RWR8189]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX SUN MAR 7, 2004 22:10:18 ET XXXXX

NY TIMES SET TO SLAM JAYSON BLAIR 'TELL ALL'

The NEW YORK TIMES is set to trash disgraced former reporter Jayson Blair's alleged tell-all account behind the journalism scandal that rocked the Old Gray Lady and forced the resignations of Executive Editor Howell Raines and Managing Editor Gerald Boyd in the Summer of '03.

"Should you believe anything written by a serial liar?" Jack Shafer, on loan from Slate.com, begins his dissection of 'Burning Down My Master's House' -- a review that is set for publication next week in the TIMES esteemed book section.

From there Shafer unleashes a barrage of insults including the assesment that "Burning Down My Master's House" is a "shoddily written and filibustering book."

"Far from solving the Jayson Blair enigma," Shafer writes, "this sloppy, padded and dishonest work only adds to his growing word count of lies."

More snippets:

"...contrition is a dish served not at all in this memoir."

"From the heights of confession, Blair rappels down Mount Excuse, blaming everybody but himself for his offenses."

"It appears that Blair has always been a thief, something 'Burning Down My Master's House' neglects to mention."

"Every con man loves his con, and few are as lucky as Blair to enshrine their version in book form."

"The Times is a flawed, human institution that deserved every brick tossed at it except this one. Jayson Blair is a confessed con man, and 'Burning Down My Master's House' is just another installment in his ongoing con."

Developing...

[jwalsh07]

Good point, I missed it.

[davisfh]

"Its worldview is till monochromatic Democrat."

You've pretty much nailed it.

[Lancey Howard]

"The Times is a flawed, human institution that deserved every brick tossed at it except this one."

No, the former "paper of record" deseves this one, too. The NY Times was Blair's willing enabler, just as the paper was, and continues to be, the enabler of the lying Democrat party. So now they want to beat up Blair? Only because he got caught.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Affirmative action forced the Times hire that clown. They should accept responsibility for it and just move on. Ignoring the problem isn't going to buy them credibility, neither is attacking it head on. They're liberal biased now, and into the future, until they show some serious change.

[Dan from Michigan]

After the crap I read by Nicholas Kristof (one piece of 'investigative journalism' of which took place in my state) and Fox Butterfield on gun issues, I can't see the cheating ending any time soon.

At least my local liberal rag just advocates. I haven't caught any cheating there yet.

[Torie]

You should post a vanity on it, or on this thread or something. This site benefits from those knowledgeable about an issue in detail, even if they have, or the horror, bias!

[Dan from Michigan]

It was at least a year and a half ago. I picked it apart then. I wish I remembered the title. Trying to google it.

[beckett]

Blair looked very shaky with Katy Couric the other night, lips purple in the way an alcoholic's lips get purple, soft hands somewhat tremulous. He is a man off the rails, in crisis, and, from what I could see, completely untrustworthy. A perpetual adolescent in the way so many Americans are these days.

[John Locke]

Should you believe anything written by a serial liar?

I think the correct answer is: Yes, if he works for the New York Slimes.

However, since that rag has a proven track record of hiring serial liars, the more pertinent question seems to be: should you believe anything written by Jack Shafer?