Matter of Opinion

Mon., Dec. 22, 2008

Mistaken identity

Sarah Palin took some ribbing when a Canadian radio station pranked her into thinking she was on the phone with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Perhaps she'll be able to sympathize with The New York Times published a letter in which Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe supposedly criticized Caroline Kennedy's efforts to become New York's junior senator. Yup, the letter was bogus.

Personally, I think Palin's gullibility is more defensible than the NYT's. Newspapers have processes for checking out the authenticity of letters. Palin was live on the phone and had to make real-time decisions about looking silly or being rude.

Either way, haven't all of us been duped a few times?

Posted Dec. 22, 2008, 2:19 p.m.

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