Appraising Giuliani, Gently

On Sunday's front page, the NYTimes took a look at what NYC firefighters are actually saying about Giuliani. Lots of them, it seems, aren't happy.

The article is a small start in the right direction, but barely.

"The firefighters' interviews indicate that in New York, at least, a critical evaluation has begun."

And yet, the article goes on to present facts showing that a "critical evaluation" -- such as by these firefighers themselves -- had in fact already begun within months after 9/11. The Times, and almost all of the media, just haven't always been a part of it.

Regardless, it is useful to see what the firefighters are thinking at this point, and it's good that they took the time to do all these interviews. But I hope this isn't going to come in place of the NYT doing its own, independent investigation of Giuliani's 9/11 history.

The question, in the end, is 'What did Giuliani do?' (Not 'What do the firefighters, or anyone else, say about what Giuliani did?')