I’m really surprised by the nastiness that Jodi Kantor has faced from media figures since the publication of her book, The Obamas. When Piers Morgan interviewed the author, he seemed to have not read the book but was coached into believing that he had to be accusatory with his guest, to vaguely suggest she had acted poorly. (When you consider Morgan’s deplorable methods of news gathering while he was a tabloid editor in London, the insinuations becomes farcical.) Soledad O’Brien at least read the book but seemed to be acting more as a publicist for Michelle Obama than a journalist.

Because of the many partisan, even racist, attacks on the Obamas, it’s no surprise that the clearly private First Couple might feel sensitive to all scrutiny. But they are the most public of figures and not off bounds to analysis; no one who vigorously pursued the highest office in the land could expect less.

Nor is Kantor above scrutiny. But it would be wise for critics to actually know what they are accusing her of doing, apart from behaving like a reporter. Anyone who’s read Kantor’s work over the years in the New York Times knows that she’s a rigorous and fair-minded writer and can’t readily be mistaken for Kitty Kelley.