Here's how a story moves from the blogworld to the mainstream media.

The TLF announces the nomination of former NYC police chief Bernard Kerik to the position of Secretary of Homeland Security. A day or two later, it's announced that Kerik is withdrawing from consideration because he has a "nanny problem"--not paying appropriate employment taxes for some nanny he had years ago. Which should sound familiar, 'cuz it scuttled Lani Guinier's nomination for Attorney General years ago.

But then it comes out that Kerik has about a billion skeletons in his closet: financial improprieties, ties with the mob, questions about his competence or overzealousness, ties to Saudi Arabia, affairs, allegations of creepy stalky behavior...it's just a big, ugly mess.

Given the last, Josh Marshall asks, on December 13, if maybe there wasn't a nanny at all. And the Times picks up the question today.

Blogs be powerful.