Rebecca Dana

You Started It   To the Editor:    read more »

You Started It   To the Editor:    read more »

You Started It   To the Editor:    read more »

Ross Is Supreme   To the Editor:    read more »

Ross Is Supreme   To the Editor:    read more »

Ross Is Supreme   To the Editor:    read more »

I have to begin, unfortunately, by correcting the record: In a story about Alan Hevesi in this week's paper, I made the bone-headed error of attributing a number of quotes to Ken Sunshine that weren't his. I didn't interview him for the story on the record or off, and the inclusion of his name is directly due to a major error in communication on my part. I sincerely apologize.

Rebecca Dana has a story about the O.J. Simpson interview with Judith Regan and ensuing controversy.

Jason Horowitz looks at the competition between Rudy Giuliani and John McCain for George W. Bush's fund-raisers, and quotes a number of the donors saying distinctly uncharitable things about the competition.

Steve Kornacki explains the (theoretical!) possibility of a coup against incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

John Koblin has a piece about Donald Trump's proposed 45-story tower on Spring Street, which could be "far and away the most conspicuous symbol in the neighborhood."

And Michael Calderone writes about a new newspaper in D.C. -- Azi Paybarah

This morning, assistant managing editor and web editor Jake Brooks distributed a surprising email. (It follows after the jump.)

His email announced a stunning victory over the staff of Trader Monthly at last night's softball game in East River Park. This morning, the bullpen was abuzz.

"They were worthy competition," said politics reporter Jason Horowitz.

"Except for the girls," said intern Max Abelson. Hey now.

"There was one guy who basically slid the distance from first base to second base," said Mr. Horowitz.

Were any of the Trader Monthly fellows... well, hot?

"I'm no expert," said NYTV reporter Rebecca Dana. "There was one guy.... he was sort of bridge-and-tunnel-hot."

"They were really nice," said Mr. Brooks sternly.

"Except for the one," Ms. Dana said.

"Their two best players were on vacation," Mr. Brooks said.

And what about heat exhaustion incidents?

"I had one later that evening," Ms. Dana said. To wit: "I was exhausted and hot."

"Friendly!" said Mr. Horowitz. "Friendly bunch!"

"I hit a guy with a ball," said Michael Calderone, media and real estate reporter. Indeed he did. Right in the back. And: "There was a lot of glove sharing. And bat sharing."  read more »

"Athlete's hand!" said medical reporter Lizzy Ratner. "And fungus!"

Dan Rather and CBS News president Sean McManus had their end-of-the-Rather-era lunch today, as scheduled. The meal was at media hotspot Gabriel's, on 60th Street and Broadway, and lasted two hours, according to a source with knowledge of the lunch. They were "amiable and engaged in energetic conversation" throughout. Both had the ravioli.

--Rebecca Dana

ABC News executives have suspended Weekend Good Morning America executive producer John Green for a month, after two politically charged personal e-mails Green sent to a colleague were leaked to the press, according to two network sources.

In one e-mail, sent during a presidential debate on Sept. 30, 2004, Green wrote, "Are you watching this? Bush makes me sick. If he uses the 'mixed messages' line one more time, I'm going to puke." That message appeared on the Drudge Report on March 23. Green e-mailed his staff the day it was posted to apologize. In his mea culpa, which was also posted on Drudge, Green wrote "I want all of you to know how much I regret the embarrassment this story causes ABC. It was an inappropriate thing to say and I'm deeply sorry."

On March 30, The New York Post's "Page Six" quoted from another Green e-mail, this one about former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In that note, for which no date was given, Green argued that Albright should not be booked on GMA because she has "Jew shame," the Post reported.

Weekend GMA staffers were told of Green's suspension today.

An ABC spokesman declined to comment, saying the network does not discuss personnel matters.

--Rebecca Dana

Precedent?

To the Editor:  read more »

Precedent?   To the Editor:    read more »

Ben digs into Hilary's nuanced stance on the Iraq war amidst the pressure of polarized national politics.

Matt Schuerman assesses the status of Ground Zero in the wake of Mike's LMDC board appointments.  read more »

I dash to D.C. and chat with Congressman Bob Menendez, who seems to be winning a four-way scramble for Jon Corzine's Senate seat.

And don't miss Rebecca Dana and Lizzy Ratner's hard look at media coverage of Iraq which, measured against the benchmark of Vietnam, leaves an eerily faint footprint.

To keep up with the volume of requests for copies of last Friday's broadcast of the memorial service for Luther Vandross, NY1 has installed four additional DVD players in its library. The flow of requests for DVD or VHS copies of the two-and-a-half-hour event has slowed since the beginning of the week, when the station was deluged with e-mails and phone calls from Vandross fans. In total, the network has received more than 400 requests, but a spokesperson could not provide an exact tally. "I'm finally getting a hold on it," said librarian Rachel Godfrey earlier this afternoon, while flipping through a folder of Vandross e-mails she had answered over the weekend. "Now let's see if the checks come in." --Rebecca Dana  read more »