The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.

What Would We Do Without Sources?
“Explosives in Detroit Terror Case Could Have Blown Hole in Airplane, Sources Say”–headline, Washington Post, Dec. 29

Must Not Be the Saudi Team
“Women’s Olympic Hockey Team Unveiled”–headline, Canadian Press, Dec. 21

The Cat From Outer Space
“Fluffy Mystery at Edge of Solar System Solved”–headline, Space.com, Dec. 24

Always Eat Tiger Well Done
“Man Jailed for Eating Rare Tiger”–headline, Reuters, Dec. 22

And the Waitress Says, ‘Why the Long Face?’
“Michigan Man Walks Into Diner With 5-Inch Knife in Chest, Orders Coffee”–headline, FoxNews.com, Dec. 29

Accountability Journalism
Remember when the Associated Press announced that it was embracing “accountability journalism”? No longer would the venerable wire service stick to reporting the facts; its new role was “to report whether government officials are doing the job for which they were elected and keeping the promises they make.” This led–surprise, surprise–to very critical coverage of the Bush administration. But Barack Obama seems to have succeeded in changing the tone of accountability journalism, as evidenced by this AP dispatch from late last month:

After a sleepless, overnight flight to Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month, President Barack Obama made a not altogether surprising admission. He was tired.

Who could blame him?

The AP goes on to describe the terrible pressures of the presidency. It does sound like a really hard job. Then again, if Obama’s tired, maybe it’s because he keeps promising not to rest:

  • “Obama ‘Will Not Rest’ Until Healthcare Reformed”–headline, Agence France-Presse, May 11
  • “Obama: ‘I Will Not Rest’ Until Businesses Are Hiring”–headline, RealClearPolitics.com, Nov. 23
  • “Obama Says ‘We Will Not Rest’ Until Plotters Found”–headline, Bloomberg.com, Dec. 28

Obama was on vacation in Hawaii at the time the AP reported he was tired, but today he is back in Washington and the AP reports the poor guy did not in fact have much of a rest:

Obama returned Monday to the White House he never really escaped.

Obama and his family took an overnight flight from Hawaii to Washington, capping an 11-day holiday vacation sure to be remembered more for the botched attempt to blow up a Christmas Day flight than the hours spent on golf courses or at luaus. The failed terror attack refocused the president’s trip from R&R on the island of Oahu to a river of memos from homeland security aides.

Obama arrived back at the White House at midday Monday with nothing on his public schedule–but much on his plate.

What’s odd about these stories is that, intentionally or not, they’re highly unflattering even though sympathetic. Stressing how tired Obama is makes him look weak. The AP’s attitude is that he’s not up to the job, but “who can blame him?” That’s accountability for you. 

For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.