Attaboy, John Solomon!

I left The Washington Times in January immediately after -- not necessarily because -- John Solomon was named to replace Wes Pruden as editor. (Solomon is a former Washington Post editor and, as I said at the time, "If I wanted to work for a Postie, I'd have applied at the freaking Post."). But today, Mr. Solomon earns his salary, and my admiration, after the Obama campaign kicked the Times' Christina Bellantoni off the campaign in an act of petty vengeance:

The Washington Times, N.Y. Post and Dallas Morning News -- three newspapers that recently endorsed John McCain -- have been kicked off Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's plane in the final days of his campaign. . . .
The Obama campaign informed The Washington Times Thursday evening of its decision, which came two days after The Times editorial page endorsed Senator John McCain over Mr. Obama. The Times editorial page runs completely independent of the news department. . . .
"This feels like the journalistic equivalent of redistributing the wealth. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars covering Senator Obama's campaign, traveling on his plane, and taking our turn in the reporter's pool, only to have our seat given away to someone else in the last days of the campaign," said Washington Times Executive Editor John Solomon. News organizations typically pay campaigns for the cost of traveling on the candidate's planes. . . .
"I hope the candidate that promises to unite America isn't using a litmus test to determine who gets to cover his campaign," Mr. Solomon said.

Christina Bellantoni's work covering this campaign cannot be faulted, and she has no bias except in favor of the truth. For the vicious monsters at Team Obama to have made her the object of their spite is entirely a reflection of the evil in their hearts, and reflects nothing on Christina. I had the honor of working with Christina and edited her stories (which never needed much editing, frankly), and can say that she is such a thorough professional that I couldn't even tell you what her political views are -- and her views never mattered, since she did excellent reporting, no matter what the assignment was.

John Solomon's defense of Christina -- and of The Times' integrity as a news organization -- has lifted from him the otherwise indelible stain of his former association with that Other Paper.

As for Team Obama's idiocy, I have bitched fiercely about the McCain campaign's self-defeating hostility to the press, but Team Maverick at least has never been this stupid.