Is Kaaaaahhhhhhnnnn calling out Krugman for being a columnist and not an economist?

I've read the NY Times each day since I was 15.   I've read the NY Post each day since I was 18!    An Opinion Piece in the NY Times today by Bill Keller really grosses me out.  In this piece,  this journalist assumes that he knows more economics than leading Ph.D. economists and flat out insinuates that one of the world's leading public finance economists is a political shill.   These are dangerous days.  I wish we lived in a world where people trust experts whether the experts are climate scientists, economists, doctors or military leaders.   Once trust is gone --- how do we build it back and what happens to collective decision making when we ditch delegation to experts?

First some preliminaries.    Here is a photo of Keller.   He has good hair and looks serious but does that make him serious?   He thinks so.  As a subscriber to the NY Times, I'm amazed at the certainty shown by their editorial columnists.  Gail Collins, Dr. Krugman and Mr. Keller show amazing self confidence in their certainty that what they say to be true is true.  I have many more doubts about this life and what is the "true data generating process".  I wish I could sleep as well at night as this crew.

via greeneconomics.blogspot.com