:54:01
Can we have a talk here?
Just editor to editor?
:54:06
Sure. Go ahead.
:54:08
Completely off the record, and really
almost human being to human being?
:54:12
Of course.
:54:14
You guys have discovered something
that a troubled kid has done,
:54:17
but l still don't know
how you plan to play it.
:54:20
We're not in the business
of ''gotcha'' journalism here.
:54:23
l have no interest in embarrassing
you or The New Republic.
:54:25
l'm not worried about me
or the magazine. That's fair game,
:54:28
But there's a kid here
who basically,
:54:30
just plainly, screwed up.
Big time.
:54:33
His reporting was sloppy,
we know that.
:54:35
But we're trying to handle it
internally at this point,
:54:38
just as you would.
:54:40
Listen, we're going to run
something
:54:42
along the lines of,
''A trick was pulled,
:54:45
and some very clever hackers
managed to create an illusion.''
:54:48
l can't tell you
what to print or not to print.
:54:50
You guys are journalists.
:54:52
But... he could be very hurt
by what you guys publish. His career.
:54:55
Chuck, l understand.
l do.
:54:58
l would hope if l made
the mistakes he made,
:55:00
people would be
generous with me.
:55:03
But...
:55:05
this concerns the very field
we cover.
:55:08
We have to run it.
:55:10
And when we do, we're going to need
a comment from you.
:55:15
So given everything
that's happened,
:55:18
how strongly are you going
to stand behind the story?
:55:24
l'm looking into it.
:55:27
lt's really not that big a deal.
You got fooled by a source.
:55:31
lt happens. They'll print
a retraction, and that'll be that.
:55:35
Steve, it's not like
it's going to hurt your career.
:55:37
Of course, if you weren't
so distracted by your classes,
:55:39
- maybe this never would've happened.
- l know, l gotta quit. You're right.
:55:47
Can l speak to you
for a minute, Steve?
:55:50
What about?
:55:52
Let's do it in private.