GOODY TWO SHOES: Wannabe Pundit
James Taranto’s "Best of the Web Today" (BOTWT) on Friday ran to 2,868 words, give or take. The lead item comprised 50 percent of the total (1,408 words) - a tedious explanation and defense of an article published in the New York Sun that he had featured prominently the previous Friday. It seems that Harvard’s Jessica Stern took issue with how a 45-minute speech she gave at an EastWest Institute conference had been characterized in the Sun’s article, which had served as the basis for further commentary by Taranto last week.
"In the interest of furthering dialogue," Taranto finally wrapped up his defensive diatribe, "we invite Stern to send us a copy of her speech, which we will be happy to publish in full on this Web site." The Stiletto, too, would like to see the transcript of Stern’s speech, as she (like other readers of BOTWT and the Sun) cannot otherwise judge the credibility of the Sun's article and its author – whom Taranto does not name (not on this occasion, anyway).
The Stiletto did not hear Stern’s speech herself. Unlike the author of the Sun article, The Stiletto had not been squired to an EastWest Institute dinner by Taranto, where she could wangle an invitation to the conference at which Stern spoke; or given an assignment to write a bylined article about the conference by Taranto’s good friend, New York Sun managing editor Ira Stoll (in this photo - taken less than a month before the events described in this post took place - Stoll is on the left, Taranto is on the right); or given the benefit of having this article - polished by the Sun’s crackerjack editors - publicized in BOTWT.
Why is Taranto repeatedly leveraging his position as editor of OpinionJournal.com to procure bylines in high-profile publications (including his own) for a Not Ready For Prime Time Pundit, and then hyping them in BOTWT? Since Taranto doesn’t believe in making the conflict-of-interest disclosures that would explain how and why he has become this wannabe pundit’s personal flack, you’re just gonna have to wait for The Stiletto to get around to ‘splaining it to you – unless one of the journalists whose ethics Taranto recently questioned beats her to it.
* Disclosure: The Stiletto, author of numerous posts about the Armenian Genocide, has had a beef with Taranto since he revealed himself to be an Armenian Genocide denier (third item, "The Daily Blade"). The Stiletto is always on the lookout for anyone who tries to minimize or deny the crime against humanity Ottoman Turks perpetrated, and lets ‘em have it. Taranto can take small comfort in knowing that he’s not The Stiletto’s only target.
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