The Dangers of Reporting From Twitter

There are two involved parties here. 1. ESPN reporter Dana Wessel, who joked on Twitter about an offer supposedly made by President Obama at the White House to former U.S. World Cup soccer player Landon Donovan. 2. San Jose Mercury News sports reporter Elliott Almond who believed him and reported it without any attribution whatsoever.

Granted, the San Jose Mercury News reporter is the bigger idiot. But joking about the President’s words in a way that isn’t obviously joking isn’t the greatest act in the world, either.

Here’s how it all began.

Obama to Landon Donovan: “You wanna take Air Force One to Mexico City? We can still make it.