Alan S. Chartock: Character should count as much as
accomplishments  For years, I have asked my journalism students
whether it matters where information comes from, as long as that
information is good. Let's say, for example, a bitter 50-year-
old woman is furious that her husband dropped her for a newer
model. She then tells a reporter that her husband is a crook and
offers substantiating information that could put the guy in
prison. Should the reporter reject the information because she
doesn't like the woman who is offering it up? The answer, of
course, is no. If the information is good, it's good despite the
fact that we may not personally like the source.  It's the same
thing in politics. Take the case of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. There are
many insiders who don't like the guy. There are way too many war
stories about past offenses and hurts. Andrew says that he's a
different guy than he was back in the old days when he worked
for his father. Sigmund Freud tells us that character is set by
the time an individual