The Reliable Source Gets Wanderlust

A couple of times a week, we’ll link to the WP.com chats that their reporters and columnists do. The chats are generally very personable and educational, and give a unique human side to the paper’s bylines. Amid yesterday’s hub-bub we missed our favorite chat of the week: The Reliable Source himself, Richard Leiby.

Leiby’s chats are always good for a laugh or two, and their level of absurdity at times is almost stunning. Yesterday’s chat in a few places gave clues that the Reliable Source may be getting a spring case of the Wanderlust. Leiby has a pretty distinguished foreign and investigative reporting background behind him (including Iraq and terrorism stints), and he hinted yesterday he might be longing for Ellen Knickmeyer‘s bureau:

Bethesder: So, do we sense a yearning for a return to the hard news beat? Where will it be: somewhere dusty and barren, somewhere humid and sweltering? Or do we aspire to something more Silvia Porgioli, such as Rome?

Richard Leiby: Frankly, I would love somewhere dusty and barren again, even if it’s Iraq. But Rome would be nice too. I’d like to sit and gaze at the Pantheon again some evening and imagine myself being enshrined there: Quidnunc, the Tired Old Hack.

Inscription: He tried his best, but his best wasn’t Good Enough.

Another sign: He’s only done two columns this week. Might we be seeing the coming of the Unreliable Source?

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