My new column at CJR covers the need for reporters to be more skeptical about politicians’ expressed commitments to their beliefs during bargaining processes like the current debt ceiling showdown. Here’s how it begins:

Insider reporting is vital to understanding what The Wall Street Journal’s Gerald Seib describes as the “‘Groundhog Day’ loop of fiscal crisis, followed by rancorous partisan debate, followed by half-solution” that has come to dominate the nation’s capitol since the November election. But reporters covering the White House and Capitol Hill must be cautious of sources exaggerating how committed they are to their expressed positions in an effort to obtain greater bargaining leverage.

For more, read the whole thing.