I’m pulled over at a rest stop in Delaware, driving back from New York so I can put my column to bed. And here I find this buffoonery in my inbox:

Johna,
Way to be spineless milquetoast! Just because you suck up to Chait et al
at TNR does not exempt you from explicating on the Thomas P’wnd Affair.
Your snuggling up with a magazine that is proved to lie, prevaricate,
obfuscate, and smear those who raise questions of their “journalism” is
sad enough; to then give them pass to do so, to be silent on their final
melt-down, to allow K-Lo to run defense whenever Chait tells you to is
sadder still.
Why? Why are you so willing to lay with those who not only ridicule your
beliefs but attack those in the most disingenuous way? Is your need for
A listing so deep? Are you so unsure of your own beliefs? Or is it just
the lazy, spineless, easy way to assure you get your face on a video
blog, a pat on the head from TNR and a way to sit lap dog like awaiting
your treat?
S.T.B. is a fraud, TNR knows this, your silence speaks loudly.
Cordially,

Me: Sadly this is all too typical of a lot of people who try to read much into what they deem to be significant silences on my part. The truth? I haven’t commented because I haven’t had a chance. I heard about the story late yesterday right before I had to go that award thing. I read one of the documents very quickly last night. Then, I got on the road this morning. But this reader is sure sycophancy to Jonathan Chait is the most likely explanation. This, I think, would be a shock to Chait. And, anyone who looks at my writing career and sees a determination to be on the A list by currying favor with liberals has been sniffing glue for so long the tube is probably permanently attached, like a nasal feedbag.

For the record, from what I can tell, I’m inclined to think Mark Steyn’s reading is right. Beauchamp hasn’t confessed, but he has in effect decided to plead the fifth, even to his own editors. It may not be a technical confession, but I think that’s the most reasonable way to interpret his “I’m not talking to the media!” position. But I could be wrong, because I haven’t had a chance to do my homework because I was too busy washing Jonathan Chait’s car.