First, The Washington Post mistakenly thinks itself a member of a sanctified priesthood.

Second, The Post blew smoke out its journalistic ass to confuse readers throughout the Nov. 20 "mea culpa" self-examination article by ombudsman Deborah Howell - and assumed we wouldn't notice.

Third, despite the confessional, breathless language employed in Howell's faux contrition piece, there is no recognition that there truly is a serious institutional, systemic problem that needs to be addressed, either at the Washington Post specifically or by mainstream media generally.

The Language and Sanctimony of the Priestly Caste

Let's take a look at some of the language Howell used to explain Bob Woodward's withholding of vital information from Patrick Fitzgerald, Post editors and (oh, yeah, the afterthought) the public.