Baby Steps: NYT Edition

In his Sunday column, Frank Rich reveals that the NYT has decided to end its participation in events like the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Good for them. I don't know if they were more horrified by Bill Moyers' Buying the War, Rich Little's routine, or Bush's lame attempt to score political points off Virginia Tech, but either way, it's good news.

In addition to its readers being able to feel (slightly) less concerned that NYT reporters may be compromised by their social ties to the people they cover, it will result in fewer opportunities for journalists to play the stooge for Karl Rove. Considering that David Gregory's credibility is now completely shot to hell, that's a good thing.

I was thinking last night... If Josh Marshall started yucking it up with the people he covers, would I immediately grow suspicious of his ability to report objectively? Would I wonder if he'd been corrupted? Would I take him less seriously? Oh yes, I would.