The April 17 profile had also taken the controversial step of publishing the Florida woman’s name (after it had been revealed by NBC Nightly News). Yet most of the inhouse protest focused on the story’s tone and content, which included details about the woman’s driving and her barhopping. “They made her look like a slut,” said one Times reporter. “The subtext of the story was that she deserved it.”
Many staff members found the paper’s apology too little and too late. Once the editor’s note was in place, Frankel and the other top editors refused to discuss the matter further. Any comment, they said through a spokesman, would “diffuse” the impact of the editor’s note.
The Times plans to assuage some of the criticism with a detailed profile of William Smith. No one at the paper would say when the article will appear–and it could be a double-edged sword. If it treads the high road, the paper is sure to be accused of protecting the Kennedys. But if it shines a similarly unflattering light, the Times may face charges of sleaze peddling all over again.
