Journalism is so easy!

Let me set the scene: You're a political reporter and your editor wants you to write a colorful story about debate watching parties. Since you're having trouble finding a debate watching party for Republicans (perhaps because you, in your capacity as a reporter for the Wash. Post don't know any), you decide to concoct a party. While at your Washington Post-funded BBQ, you do some poking and prodding and viola! You're able to write this: "...the possibly unprecedented occurrence of a young woman in a cowboy hat pretending to make out with a poster of Dick Cheney."

Now that's an A+ line if I've ever heard one. Sadly, it never happened. The Post issued a correction:

In the Oct. 17 Sunday Source, the "Gatherings" story described a Republican barbecue held to watch a presidential debate. The item reported "the possibly unprecedented occurrence of a young woman in a cowboy hat pretending to make out with a poster of Dick Cheney." The item should have explained that the woman was asked to pose with the vice president's picture by the photographer working for The Washington Post. The woman also did not pretend to "make out" with the picture; at the photographer's suggestion, she pretended to blow a kiss at it. The item should have explained that the party was hosted in response to a request from The Post, which discussed the decorations and recipes with the host and agreed to reimburse the cost of recipe ingredients.

Ever feel like sports writers are held to a higher standard?