I don't know who Michael Hiltzick is (though he has a couple of books), and the bio isn't easily found, but he doesn't like me poking fun at his newspaper! And the online edition put him on its front page tonight, so I guess I should link him.

I think he may be one of the Times' crop of new columnists bringing us a new generation of fresh insight from the biggest joke among the MSM giants.

He's not going to like the Times' draft choices, and he certainly isn't going to like this item!

But do note his blogroll. Could anything have been more predictable from the Lost Angeles Times than a columnist-turned-blogger like Mr. Hiltzik?

By the way, the Hiltzik charge about my time at the Nixon Library is a lie. I proposed banning Bob Woodward, but was overruled by President Nixon.

Writes Hiltzik:

Provides a clue to his character, doesn't it? Also shows how threadbare is the condition of press criticism out there on the loony right, doesn't it?

Exactly the way to increase readership, Dean: Give a blog to an intemperate time-server (who wouldn't take the buy-out?) whose idea of online exchange is to misrepresent a 15 year old quote and to challenge character on that basis.

That'll work.

Michael: You are invited on to tomorrow's radio show. E-mail me. We'll get that book off of 373,961.