Okay, so we’re a little slow today (we had deli coffee this morning), but we just realized The Wall Street Journal quoted a guy they eavesdropped on in their story about Lehman Brothers that went up a little while ago. Actually, two: They end with a quote from a guy standing “waiting to order food … at a fast-food vendor across the street” whom they do not identify and whom it’s unclear knows he’s being quoted at all: “At some point, where does it stop?” he says. Wait a second. How does the Journal know dude wasn’t talking about all of the internecine sex stuff on Gossip Girl the other night? And furthermore, what’s up with this weird aerial shot of the staff of Lehman in a meeting today? Did they hire a helicopter or just a guy with a long-range lens? Where did they hear the Bank of America thing, anyway? Someone’s hairdresser? Are these the kinds of tabloid tactics we should expect from Rupert Murdoch’s Journal now? And if so, what’s next? Crotch shots of Dick Fuld getting out of his limo? Not that we wouldn’t be down with that, but still: Is this an appropriate way to report a story in which rumors and panic have been a major problem?* Jeez Louise, guys. Someone needs to be responsible here. It can’t all fall on poor Sorkin.
*And yes, we know we quoted them here and in a headline, but like we said — deli coffee.
Lehman Brothers in Sales Talks; B of A Seen As a Potential Suitor [WSJ]
