Did Maureen Dowd Mistake a Journalist for Michelle Obama?

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, roundly despised for the vapidity of her high-school-clique political journalism, is at the middle of a controversy about mistaken identity involving Dowd, another reporter, and Michelle Obama (wife of presidential candidate Barack Obama):

It all started when Michelle Henery, a columnist for the Times of London, penned a story about her experience in the press room after last week's Democratic debate in Los Angeles.

Henery, who is African-American, wrote that New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, "one of my journalistic heroes," approached her, "greeting me like a long-lost friend." Henery was flattered and shocked until "Maureen's sweet smile turned into embarrassed confusion and she scampered off."

The next day, Henery says she e-mailed her friends, who told her that Dowd must have confused her with Michelle Obama, the wife of presidential contender Barack Obama.

Dowd insists that this never happened. She has complained to the Times, and Henery's column has been removed from the Times' Web site.

Is Henery making the story up out of whole cloth? Did she mistake some other red-headed press corps Spite Girl for Dowd? Or is it the case that the Queen of Mean can dish it out but cannot take it, and is covering up her faux pas with a temper tantrum?

It's hard to tell whom to believe. On the one hand, Dowd insists she wasn't where Henery says she was — but Dowd has a past history of lying about where she has been. On the other hand, Henery describes Dowd as "one of [her] journalistic heroes." How can you take her seriously when her judgment is so egregiously bad?

(via Avedon Carol)

Tags: maureen dowd michelle henery michelle obama obama ny times london times mistaken identity journalism mean girl journalism politics race racism