This strikes me as exactly right, Stephen:

So was the Drudge item misleading on this point? Yes. Is it a small matter compared to the hugely embarrassing contents of the phone transcript and the results of the Army’s investigation? Yes.

I wish TNR would kick themselves out of defense mode and put those who defend our nation first here — as an American, I wish they had put all their cards on the table and apologized for running a story the author would no longer defend.