To the Matt

I doubt seriously that somebody like Matt Taibbi needs me to defend him, but that's exactly what I'm doing at the moment over at the Huffington Post.

Taibbi's currently involved in a battle with Penson Financial Services and John Carney at The Business Insider's Clusterstock blog over a video clip he posted over at True/Slant that he says highlights the issue of the potential manipulation of the stock of companies that have received bailout money through what's known as naked short selling. Since the video was posted, Penson has denied that any wrongdoing took place and claims that the clip is likely a hoax; they've even written to the SEC to complain about Taibbi's post (which is interesting when you consider that many of these companies spend their days trying to duck SEC regulation, and here's one suddenly running for the cover of the commission like it's mommy's skirt).

Anyway, regardless of whether Taibbi was fooled or not -- and I'm sorry but the jury's way out on that crap -- there are more than a few people champing at the bit to engage in a little schadenfreude and take on the guy who's been taking on the people who've by and large been ripping off all of us.

One of them is a DC-based writer-producer named Diane Tucker. So today's amusing exchange comes courtesy of Tucker and, well, me.

Read Diane Tucker's cloyingly snarky and condescending post at Huffington -- then take a look at the comment section.

The Huffington Post: Who Duped Rolling Stone Gonzo Reporter Matt Taibbi/10.6.09