This image was lost some time after publication, but you can still view it here.

Slatester Mickey Kaus went once more into the Burklian breach late yesterday, this time unpacking the Page Six-slaying billionaire's WSJ piece condemning, essentially, all manner of gossip reporting. It makes Kaus wonder:

Is Burkle a persecuted businessman trying to carve out a zone of privacy against dissembling gossips? Or is he a guy with a lot to hide attempting to intimidate and marginalize potential new, blog-like, unconventional threats, aware that maybe [Burkle attorney] Marty Singer can't protect him forever in this new environment? Or something in between! ... Is he worried about inaccurate journalism or accurate journalism? .. You, the reader, make the call! ...

We've been wondering that, too. (Most recently, we're thinking this whole thing needs to be recast as two independent questions: Just because Burkle might be sleazy — and increasingly we think he is — doesn't mean Page Six generally and JPS personally aren't sleazy-to-reprehensible, too.) But it's Kaus' final point we find, naturally, most interesting:

Note to Maer Roshan: This is so not the guy you want to own Radar magazine.. ... Makes Mort Zuckerman look like John Peter Zenger! ...

Fair point, Mickey. But, now that Burkle's declared war on all gossipy reporting, we have to suspect it's also largely moot. Sorry, Maer. Someday, your prince will come. (Maybe the Zenger estate has some money?)

Burkle Raises Larger Issue [Slate]