Times v Sullivan

Today, George Will demonstrates why the Supreme Court had it right, when they set a high legal burden for public figures who claim defamation. Responding to the suggestion by Jimmy Carter that he gave Carter's debate briefing book to Ronald Reagan, Will says (in my crude paraphrase):

Carter is a liar who lost the election because of his bad foreign policy and poor management of the economy, not because of a briefing book. He's lying when he says I gave the briefing book to Reagan, because I have denied taking it. And it wouldn't have made any difference if I had, because Reagan was that good. Carter read my book about baseball, which he really liked. Did I mention that he's a liar? And that he was incompetent?

Yup. Public figures can usually take care of themselves.