"Journalism in its purest form is a transaction. But inch by inch, story by story, deal by deal, we are giving away our right to ask a simple question and expect a simple answer, one that can’t be taken back. It may seem obvious, but it is still worth stating: The first draft of history should not be rewritten by the people who make it," – David Carr, on the practice of journalists giving quote approval to their subjects in exchange for access [NYT].
One of the primary criticisms leveled at Michael Lewis' must-read Obama profile last week was that Lewis agreed to quote approval. Given the extraordinarily rare access he got, I think he's the least of the culprits.
The Dish 