Forcing Pieces into a Jigsaw Puzzle

By , January 15, 2011 2:17 pm

The paper of record has a decent piece on Jared Loughner, marred by a concerted effort–four different reporters received a byline, while nine others contributed to the story–to tie Mr. Loughner to the right wing.

For 17 paragraphs, the piece adds piece after piece to the puzzle–“a culircue of contradictory moments open to broad interpretation.”

Talented saxophonist. Check. High school dropout. Check. Clean-cut employee. Check. Frightens tellers. Check. Handwritten notes, indicating premeditation. Check. Obsession with numbers and dreams. Check.

Struggling with “a profound mental illness.” Rejection by military, college, and girlfriend. Alienation from friends.

Bingo?

Probably, but not until The Times forces one of two Paul Krugman exculpatory paragraphs into the puzzle. In paragraph 18 of the story we read:

He became an echo chamber for stray ideas, amplifying, for example, certain grandiose tenets of a number of extremist right-wing groups — including the need for a new money system and the government’s mind-manipulation of the masses through language.

Then in the 3rd paragraph of page 6, we read:

A few days later, during a meeting with a school administrator, Mr. Loughner said that he had paid for his courses illegally because, “I did not pay with gold and silver” — a standard position among right-wing extremist groups.

And so a promising attempt at piecing together the puzzle that is Jared Loughner is marred in a more important effort to save face. Drop a few hints, slip in an editorial comment or two, and voila: The New York Times doesn’t have to apologize for the reckless accusations that have appeared on its pages the last few days. Too bad. Sadly, saving face is more important than regaining trust and credibility.

Enough with the editorializing. As Joe Friday might say to the Grey Lady, “Just the facts ma’am.”

(All emphasis mine.)

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