Seriously, I do. I did less to earn my Pulitzer than President Barack Obama did to win his Nobel Peace Prize. Obama got his award for not being George W. Bush. I got my Pulitzer for being on the staff of the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2006 when “the staff” of the U-T won for exposing Randy “Duke” Cunningham as a corrupt politician (but I repeat myself).

What did I contribute to winning that prize? I suppose the best that can be said is that by doing my unglorious, but necessary, job it ensured that the people who were actually doing the reporting actually had the time to do the reporting. But even that glorifies it really – it’s not as if I was on sabbatical for those 6-months or so that they would’ve corraled one of the business or D.C.-bureau reporters into designing Metro pages.

So, in a faux felt-covered box on my bookcase is a replica of the Pulitzer medal that holds no special pride for me and my 15-year career in newspapers.

As far as I can tell, McClatchy D.C. investigative editor James Asher doesn’t even have that.

I bring this up because Asher continues to stand behind his bureau’s reporting of the infamous N-word incident (that never happened) at the height of the health care debate. In his obstinancy, he’s even drawn the critical eye of Retracto, the Correction Alpaca.

I bring up my Pulitzer Prize because if the reporters and the Copley News Service (now defunct) D.C. bureau had adopted Asher’s belief that “we feel confident that the congress members would not concoct their stories,” then Randy “Duke” Cunningham would still be lining his pockets with kickbacks from defense contractors.

Those words are not those of the “watchdog” press and are indicative that perhaps Mr. Asher has become a bit too comfortable in his perch at McClatchy’s D.C. bureau. It has the distinct ring of someone who has gone native.

Contra Mr. Asher, there is plenty of evidence that sheds doubt on the stories of Reps. Emanuel Cleaver and John Lewis. There were numerous video cameras present that day and not a single video has appeared showing that racial slurs were hurled at the congressmen. At least one witness has come forward and put his name behind the contention that no racial slurs were uttered – none of that “sources say” baloney here.

Mr. Asher appears to be a stubborn man and he does himself and his employer no credit by his actions.

Journalism. Wound. Self-inflicted.