[jmye]

I don’t take it as “I can’t fathom how this happened” so much as “I don’t know, specifically, if I was being investigated, if he was, or if this was just ancillary capriciousness”.

Seems weird to immediately assume he’s stupider than you are.

[kcplate]

I didn’t write those words and choose to publish them, he chose to do that.

Whether it’s meant as: “Can’t fathom how this happened”, “I don’t know how, specifically”, or “I can’t imagine how they found out”…it’s a totally boneheaded thing to write and publicly publish if you are an FBI agent. We make assessments about people’s capabilities every day based on what they say and do. This is no different.

[jmye]

I think, at some level, one should assume that one’s readers are capable of understanding context and nuance, and that every word won’t be taken literally by the vast majority of readers.

You can be mad at the writer, if it makes you feel better, I guess, but this was pretty clear writing from my point of view.

[drcongo]

I came out of that article impressed with the eloquence of his prose. I'm gobsmacked to learn that someone thinks that's bad writing.

[kcplate]

I didn’t say it was bad writing. I am saying that within it he expressed a disbelief at something that given his position, was absurd. Even if it was done for some sort of dramatic effect, it caused me to doubt the sincerity and accuracy of the rest of the article.

[kcplate]

I’m not mad at the writer, I am indifferent. However, because of that embellishment or “flourish”, I doubt the rest of the situation occurred as described.

If you want people to take your story seriously, why would you disqualify yourself in such a way in the beginning of the article?