In the diary I wrote yesterday, I said that defending the 50-State Strategy was something worth risking the embarrassment of being wrong. I was wrong.
I freaked out over a comment made by an anonymous source. I trusted the word of others, like Kos and Chris Bowers because I am not a political strategist and I don't understand everything about how such matters work. In such things, I defer to the experts and the sources they say they have.
But I am a reporter. Or at least I was one until a few months ago. Elise is right. I should have known better.
The reason why I'm embarrassed today is that it wasn't just my own credibility that I was gambling with, but this community's credibility as well.
Many of you are dedicated, passionate people who do excellent, well-sourced work that is worthy of the highest praise. Yesterday I cheapened that by freaking out over one of my hot-button issues.
If anyone feels I've hurt the site's credibility with what I wrote, I completely understand why you think that way, and I apologize.
More often than not, I'm on the opposite side from the Chicken Littles. Yesterday I was one.
Speaking more broadly, ever since I was outed and returned to the site, I've taken to shying away from diaries that "matter." I do this out of fear. Yes, I will admit that. I have a family, and I don't want to put them at risk again. As a result, I haven't written about anything breaking or controversial. Instead, I strive to entertain.
I haven't been a practicing reporter for months, and I haven't been a blogger who writes about anything worthwhile in about the same timeframe. I think now I'll leave the blogging to the serious bloggers, and the reporting to the real reporters.
I'm not leaving or anything, I'll just stay away from the hot button issues.I will stick to what I'm good at -- dick and fart jokes.