Timing Is Everything

I'd like to take a time out from the heated debate over the worst person in the world designation absurdly bestowed on Karen to come to the defense of another Swamplander. Apparently some readers believe Ana made her decision to stop appearing on the Imus show only after MSNBC had dropped him, thereby making it an easier call. Not so. Ana informed me shortly after noon on Tuesday that she'd decided she wouldn't go on anymore. At that point very few of Imus' regular guests had done the same -- none, I believe, from the media. I told our editors in New York, and we decided Ana should write about it for the dead-tree Time, which didn't come out until Thursday morning.

As for Karen, she's the best political reporter around. She doesn't take sides; she reports and makes judgments based on what she learns from her reporting. She's both tough and fair, which is what we need in this field more than anything.