WELL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? - AT 10:32 A.M. ET:  This is one of those rare moments in journalism.  Savor it:

A senior editor of the New York Times apologized to The Washington Times for publishing a front-page story Friday that accused The Washington Times of being "decidedly opposed" to President Barack Obama.

Dean Baquet, Washington bureau chief of the New York Times, telephoned Washington Times editors, offered an apology to the staff and said he would run a correction.

"I would never say your paper has been anything but absolutely fair and objective to Obama," Mr. Baquet told The Washington Times' Managing Editor-Print David Jones.

"We agree and accept the Times' apology," Washington Times Executive Editor John Solomon wrote to his staff.

COMMENT:  We'd like to think this is the start of a trend, but we're not that naive.  It's one thing for The New York Times to apologize to fellow journalists.  Journalists have a kind of affection for each other.  It's quite another thing for The Times to do what is so clearly necessary - apologize for some of its absysmally slanted reporting in recent years, clear the air about its Vietnam coverage, and pledge to be a better, more objective newspaper.

Don't hold your breath.  Unhealthy.

August 15, 2009