Maybe it falls under the old saw of "being too good to check." How else does someone explain this article by Jennifer Hunter of the Chicago Sun-Times?

After watching the top five Democratic candidates for president speak before a trial lawyers' group Sunday, attorney Jim Ronca of Philadelphia, a staunch Republican, became certain of one thing: He is not going to vote Republican in the 2008 presidential election.

He will support the Democrats.

"I'm not only going to vote Democratic, I'm going to financially support the Democrats," Ronca said after a luncheon forum of the American Association for Justice, featuring Gov. Bill Richardson, Sen. Barack Obama, former Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Joe Biden. "The Republicans in Washington are an embarrassment."

Ronca said he was impressed with the Democrats' opposition to recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, the refusal of the White House to hand over documents related to the firing of federal prosecutors, and the war in Iraq.

All of the Democrats used most of their 20 minutes allotted to excoriate the Bush administration, with Clinton noting:

"President Bush has campaigned as a compassionate conservative. He is neither. His is the most radical presidency we have ever had."

The Internet age is a wonderful thing, it allows you to easily check up on people like Jim Ronca of Philadelphia. Which is what Warner Todd Huston over at Newsbusters did. Here's a list of politicians for federal office to whom Mr. Ronca has donated money to over the past decade and a half.

$1,000 Harris Wofford (Democrat, PA) 6/22/1994
$250 Charles Oberly (Democrat, PA) 10/3/1994
$500 Edward Kennedy (Democrat, MA) 11/16/1995
$250 Stewart Greenleaf (Republican, PA) 12/29/1999
$250 Patrick Casey (Democrat, PA) 6/3/2000
$500 Ron Klink (Democrat, PA) 6/13/2000
$500 Ron Klink (Democrat, PA) 9/15/2000
$500 Arlen Specter (Republican, PA) 11/5/2001
$500 Allyson Schwartz (Democrat, PA) 3/30/2004
$2,000 John Kerry (Democrat, MA) 5/27/2004
$500 Allyson Schwartz (Democrat, PA) 8/23/2005
$1,000 Bob Casey (Democrat, PA) 9/13/2006
$500 Bob Casey (Democrat, PA) 9/30/2005
$500 Bruce Bradley (?) 9/5/2006

Does that look like a "staunch Republican" to you?

Here's a rule-of-thumb for any journalist out there: If someone has ever donated to Teddy Kennedy, he's not a "staunch Republican" -- and that includes California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Conversely, if anyone has ever donated money to Jesse Helms, they're not a "staunch Democrat."

The question here becomes, who lied? Ronca or Hunter? I'd like to think it's Ronca, but you can never be sure.

Next question: How quickly and prominently will the correction be displayed?