LIKE MOST CALIFORNIANS, I am sick of discussing the Los Angeles Times. I had intended to write this week about the sudden crystallization of the Democratic party around the campaign theme “Higher Taxes, Lower Defenses.” This combination of Mondale economics with McGovernite foreign policy is without precedent in American political history and deserves close examination. The appearances of Joe Biden and Jay Rockefeller on the weekend talk shows presented even more opportunities to ruminate on the collapse of coherence within Democratic ranks.

But the Times keeps asking for more. Over 1,000 subscribers have cancelled the paper since the Times joined up with Team Davis in the recall, and at least one advertiser dropped planned ads. Perhaps all of this explains why editor John Carroll felt obliged to try and make a stand in defense of his paper.