When a writer describes the subject of a bio piece as speaking "in bizarrely conspiratorial fashion with no evidence to back him up," you know something's up. And when that subject's testimony contradicts the thesis of the writer's bestselling book ... well, let's just say that Time might want to revist the term "conflict of interest."

It is true that Gardner seems sketchy on details, singular in his assessment of Kerry amongst the boat crew, and, well, kind of crazy in a black helicopter kind of way. But that doesn't obviate the fact that using Doug Brinkley as point man on this interview was bad journalism.