Kurtz Weighs In

One hour and 4 minutes before John Edwards began a news conference yesterday on the recurrence of his wife’s cancer, a two-month-old Web site blared what looked like a major exclusive: “Edwards to Suspend Campaign.”

In the this-just-in, get-it-out-now atmosphere of today’s wired world, the posting by Politico.com was quickly picked up by television. It was also flat wrong.

Reporter Ben Smith attributed his report that the former senator was suspending his presidential campaign — “and may drop out completely” — to an “Edwards friend.”