New York Times editor Byron Calame’s column on Sunday attempts to address the newspaper’s goof in which it put words in a military contributor’s mouth. It’s not bias, Calame said, but the accidental insertion of a rejected version of the column. The editors proposed the changes to make it look like the writer was conscripted and did not volunteer, the writer threatened to pull the piece, and the editors spiked the version that accidentally made it into print.

No bias here, just idiocy. Move along, until the next time we have to lower ourselves to answer to you.

Calame’s introduction almost distracts from the piece:

UPHOLDING the journalistic integrity of The New York Times requires a lot of care. Maintaining the perception of journalistic integrity can require even more care.

It is so over the top that Michelle Malkin couldn’t get past it, much less address the Gray Lady’s column goof. Can’t say I blame her. The Powerline crew is similarly unimpressed. For a long list of evidence to the contrary of Calame’s statement, visit my previous post on Times ethics here.