Condi Rice embarrassed by protesters? What makes you think so?

The New York Times ran an article this morning headlined Rice Finds British Muslims Want to Give Her an Earful that says U.S. Secretary of State Rice faced "public embarrassment" from protesters. Perhaps the writer, Joel Brinkley, thinks Ms. Rice should be embarrassed, and maybe she should, but nothing in the article suggests that she is embarrassed. In fact, a quote lifted from another newspaper and included in Mr. Brinkley's article suggests that she isn't embarrassed at all, or at least doesn't want anyone to believe she is embarrassed.

"People can say whatever they wish," she told The Lancashire Evening Telegraph. "I know where I stand. We made the right decision" in Iraq. "I was fully supportive of the decision."

One of the things I learned early on in journalism school was that you can't report on what people think or feel. Reporters don't know what sources think or feel. Reporters only know what sources said. Mr. Brinkley made a mistake here, and his editors didn't catch it. The New York Times should be embarrassed -- again.