Krugman vs Okrent

Editor & Publisher notes the latest development in a spat between New York Times columnist Paul Krugman and outgoing Times "public editor" (aka ombudsman) Daniel Okrent. The piece notes Krugman's defense - in a letter to the editor - against Okrent's contention that Krugman has "a disturbing habit of shaping, slicing and selectively citing numbers in a fashion that pleases his acolytes but leaves him open to substantive assaults." Krugman contends that Okrent "offered no examples of my 'disturbing habit.'"

Krugman's not about to let this go lightly - nor should he. And apparently Krugman and Okrent "will be addressing this matter further on the Public Editor's Web Journal [now run by Byron Calame] early in the week."