Quoting the Wrong Bradlee

Not The Real Ben Bradlee


Yesterday I described how Marketwatch columnist Jon Friedman quoted the movie Ben Bradlee--the character in All the President's Men as played by Jason Robards--to support his view that the Washington Post Company should back up Newsweek in the Koran-flush scandal.

Friedman might have talked instead to the real Ben Bradlee. He just slammed Newsweek for not promptly correcting the item. According to Editor & Publisher:

Bradlee also opposed Newsweek's use of a single source and its limited description of the source. "I don't like one source," he said. "And maximum sourcing is the first rule. Is it a man or a woman? Is it military or civilian? Is it Republican or Democrat? Help the reader a little bit."

Hmm.... too bad Jason Robards is deceased. Maybe Jon would have had better luck with him!