In today’s New York Times, Adam Nagourney and Jodi Wilgoren write:
“Dr. Dean was preparing to return to his home in Burlington, Vt., to plan what shape his campaign might take now as he absorbed the loss of his campaign chairman, Steven Grossman, to the Kerry campaign.”
But Grossman hasn’t yet joined Kerry’s campaign. Here’s what he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper last night:
COOPER: Steve, are you already working for the John Kerry campaign?
GROSSMAN: No. I haven’t talked to John Kerry and I don’t think it’s appropriate that I do. I will wait until after Wisconsin. If John Kerry would like me to play a leadership role or active role, I’m willing to do that.
It certainly sounds like Grossman — who also pointed out to Cooper that he chaired Kerry’s 1996 Senate campaign — will be working for the frontrunner soon. But he isn’t yet, and readers deserve to know that.
If only for the sake of Grossman’s reputation.
–Z.R.
Late Update, 5:15 p.m.: Ron Fournier of The Associated Press repeats the mistake, writing, “Dean’s national chairman, Steve Grossman, has bolted the campaign for Kerry’s.”
Zachary Roth is a contributing editor to The Washington Monthly. He also has written for The Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, Slate, Salon, The Daily Beast, and Talking Points Memo, among other outlets.