Mother of Mercy, Is This the End of the Empty Suit?

Et tu, Keller?

The Empty Suit, New York Times spokesman Barney Calame, has been such an unmitigated disaster that he's barely worth mentioning any more. His predictable defense of the Grey Lady has become old news.

Bad as he is, apparently he is not bad enough. The New York Observer reports that he may be out the door. His predecessor, Daniel Okrent, "was a sharp critic who raised hackles and then won respect during his 18-month term. In contrast, Mr. Calame has been a bit more like that other Barney, the friendly purple dinosaur—and not entirely unlike Snuffleupagus, the once-invisible creature of Sesame Street." But even that wasn't bad enough for the Times. The NYO says executive editor Bill Keller may abolish the position.

Good idea. A bad ombudsman is worse than none.