Retraction: I'm going to take a baby step back on the Bennett fracas. I'll let everything stand as written except this: I said on Monday, "Boy does he deserve everything he gets." Well, Jonathan Alter was on Imus this morning. Imus asked where the scoop came from, and Alter hesitated. Imus then asked if someone leaked Bennett's gambling history to embarrass Bennett. Alter replied, "I think that's fair to say." As much as Bennett is a self-righteous prig, this is starting to sound less like publishing gossip and more like a journalistic "hit." Is it newsworthy? Probably. But I'd love to hear a journalist explain why. Alter's only explanation this morning was (paraphrase), "If you don't see why this is news, you just don't get it." I don't think that'll fly from a professional.

More: Shiflett, with usual good humor, on the Bennett flap.