Beauchamp Affair: The New Republic tries to use the Nixon playbook

I thought they were supposed to be smart people over at TNR. So why are they trying to bluff their way out of this with a modified, limited hangout?

Baldilocks has the best analysis of their most recent "clarification". Ace is just on fire. Michelle Malkin has an extensive round-up.

UPDATE: Credit where due.

AMac, the most astute commentator over at KC's place, predicted that TNR would try this ploy. He sent me an email several days ago that zeroed in on the critical issue.

The key question is not "did something like these incidents happen?" Beauchamp's stories had shock value only because he claimed that the incidents were seen by many soldiers and officers and NO ONE DID ANYTHING because the Iraq war destroyed their humanity.

So now, in the case of the wounded woman in the mess hall, TNR's "verification" of the story actually shreds Beauchamp's credibility.

But TNR is trying to pretend that their diarist was right and their critics were wrong.

Which is exactly what AMac said they would do.