To pull a Klein, v.i. - when in error on the facts, claim the difference is only one of opinion--an opinion that you will continue fearlessly championing
Everyone knows how, in recent weeks, Joe Klein has tried to cover his errors of fact by attacking the fact checkers: so what if I said Representative Harman voted for a bill she voted against? The real story is that left-bloggers are being mean to me!
Follow me to the flip to explore how David Broder pulls a similar maneuver.
You may remember how, back in April, he wrote a column comparing Harry Reid to Alberto Gonzales and calling both inept. That part, of course, is opinion. A bullshit opinion, perhaps, but an opinion.
But this part was an assertion of fact:
[A] long list of senators of both parties ... are ready for these two springtime exhibitions of ineptitude to end.
And it's a fact that Broder got just plain wrong. In the wake of his column, Senate Democrats unanimously lined up to declare their support for Reid.
So, two months later, what does Broder now have to say about his mistake?
Readers of this column know I am no fan of Sen. Reid. When I wrote in April about his shortcomings as majority leader, The Post received a protest letter signed by the other 50 senators in the Democratic Caucus, attesting to their devotion to their leader.
I may be risking another mass reprimand by what I am about to write, but here is what I know....
Right--Broder didn't get his facts wrong; he just declared an unpopular opinion, and he's not going to back down, by gosh!
That's what I call courage chutzpah pulling a Klein.