“Judge us by our journalism”

Washington Post executive editor Marcus Brauchli, in an online Q&A today:

First, there were no salon dinners. They were planned and they were canceled. Second, Ceci Connolly, who is an absolutely first-rate, independent-minded reporter, was simply asked who might be worth inviting to a roundtable discussion on healthcare. There is no reason she should be taken off of this story. Third, while we appreciate your visiting with us on this chat, you should read what we write. We have scrutinized the insurance industry's claims about healthcare legislation extensively, including in a lengthy piece last week by Alec MacGillis. Finally, yes, I realize that the salon dinner episode was embarrassing and damaging to our credibility, but I would say to you: judge us by our journalism.

If you're a Washington Post editor, you should really avoid using the phrase “judge us by our journalism” in the same paragraph in which you praise Ceci Connolly.

Ceci Connolly invented a quote Al Gore never said, then used it to portray Gore as a liar. That was not “first-rate” journalism. Are you glad George W. Bush was president? Thank Ceci Connolly.

Nor was it “first-rate” when Connolly promoted right-wing myths about end-of-life counseling.

Nor was it “first-rate” journalism when Connolly wrote three straight articles about the recent insurance industry-funded health care “study” without ever getting around to pointing out the study's key flaws.