Not that we shouldn't be hard on Talty, because it is his job to be a journalist, but this is a situation created by the CL. John is 2 years out of school. His assignment is to write on a subject that is extremely controversial, and he does not appear to be getting much senior coaching or mentoring as he goes. His employer is failing him as an employee as much as he is failing us as readers.
In my opinion, this type of coverage has no place at a newspaper. Cover commitments and have the occasional interview, but the amount of rumor, innuendo, and opinion writing required to do this job makes it more suitable for a fan site. It is almost impossible for him to do his job in a way that is both interesting and objective.
