Hard to believe it, but a television news anchor just displayed some genuine integrity and humility. Whatever the cause -- be it behind-the-scenes discussions, pressure from activists, including this site's founder, or genuine contrition, Chuck Roberts just issued the following apology while interviewing Ned Lamont (transcript mine, via the miracle of TiVo):

"You know, I owe you an apology. Last week, I led into an interview with a guest analyst and really botched the set-up. The guest had wanted to discuss the Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman statements suggesting that terror groups -- Al Qaeda types, to use Cheney's words -- would be buoyed by your win, but I posed it badly, stupidly ad-libbing about "some saying Lamont is the Al-Qaeda candidate." No one, in fact, used that construction. Anyway, I wanted to correct the record, and I'm glad we had this chance to do it. Now, let's get to the insinuations that were lobbed..."

After which the guy gave Lamont the chance to rebut Cheney and Lieberman at length.

Keep in mind the standard reservations any mildly sane person has about news media. But for once, somebody did the right thing. This should be a routine matter, of course, something one would never feel the need to single out for praise. But if that were the case, Judith Miller would be living in sackcloth and doing charity work for the rest of her life.

Just my opinion, but I think all of us who hollered at CNN when Roberts screwed up in the first place might want to send a quick note thanking him for his moment of grace.

It would be nice if we could also get a blanket apology for CNN's breathlessly willing repetition of official falsehoods for most of the last five-and-a-half years. But let's start small with what we have. The guy did the right thing. Good on him.

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