Ben Domenech Resigns

From reading the announcement, I'd say this is for the best.

Plagiarism is perhaps the most serious offense that a writer can commit or be accused of. Washingtonpost.com will do everything in its power to verify that its news and opinion content is sourced completely and accurately at all times.

We appreciate the speed and thoroughness with which our readers and media outlets surfaced these allegations. Despite the turn this has taken, we believe this event, among other things, testifies to the positive and powerful role that the Internet can play in the the practice of journalism.

Hopefully some who didn't see this as the significant issue it was, failed to do so only through a lack of appreciation for how seriously plagiarism is viewed within any writing community.

I think it's sad that a still promising young man had to learn a lesson the hard way. But it was a lesson he evidently needed to learn.

I've no doubt with Ben Domenech's abilities and ambition, assisted through his contacts and resume from previous employment, he'll have a long and productive career in whatever challenges he chooses to pursue, including writing.

Comments

[Dan]

So you think the plagiarist will land on his feet?

[SallyVee]

I'm proud of you, Dan, for getting this right, and leading the pack. To me, it's important that the Right owns up to this one.

It's too bad about Domenech. But he reminds me of Stephen Glass -- the fantasizing wunderkind who worked for The New Republic and got flushed out by reporters at Forbes Mag. Glass was more of a wholesale inventor than a plagiarist. But I think Domenech and Glass both share an inflated ego, a penchant for lying, and unbridled ambition. If Domenech hadn't resigned, he would have self-destructed in a huge display of pyrotechnics, burning everyone on the Right.

Watch "Shattered Glass" sometime on HBO. Good flick.

One thing I noticed in the resignation announcement, the WaPo does not seem to specifically commit to replacing Domenech with an alternate conservative blogger. I'd like to nominate you for consideration.

[MrsLevy]

"One thing I noticed in the resignation announcement, the WaPo does not seem to specifically commit to replacing Domenech with an alternate conservative blogger. I'd like to nominate you for consideration."

Dan would love that. He wants to be a STAR. Why do you think he dumped on Ben so quickly.

Dan would be great on the civil rights beat. He lived next door to "negroes" when he was a teenager.

MrsLevy

[danascully]

Posted by: MrsLevy | Friday, March 24, 2006 at 04:18 PM
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Do you come here just to insult Dan? That seems to be the gist of all your comments? Just wondering now, Mrs. Levy, don't get fired up!

[jkatl]

Some of the examples of Domenech's plagiarism are so egregious it looks like on some of them he didn't even bother to type the words himself. Over at DKOS one example it looks like he just cut and pasted right at his computer, the puncuation, paranthesis right down to the ...

[Phoenix]

MrsLevy

Where's your mater, Alma? I switched my sheets to a nice pink satin. I want to spin and beat her with civil bites. Yum......

[Robert]

"Plagiarism is perhaps the most serious offense that a writer can commit or be accused of."
Uh, no. Making stuff up (e.g., Janet Cooke, Jayson Blair, Stephen Glass, Dan Rather) is actually much more serious. In the computer age, it is all too easy to commit "cut and paste" plagiarism, as I explain:

http://donkeycons.blogspot.com/2006/03/plagiarize-this.html

[danascully]

Posted by: Phoenix | Friday, March 24, 2006 at 08:26 PM
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High five, Phoenix!