Yesterday I wrote that the Times had erred in allowing the White House to portray former press secretary Scott McClellan as “disgruntled” without asking McClellan for comment, and also suggesting that he had been “pushed out” of the White House without providing details.

Today the Times more or less admits the error [emphasis added].

As news of Mr. McClellan’s new tell-all book — in which he calls the war in Iraq a “strategic blunder” and accuses Mr. Bush of engaging in “self-deception” — dominated the airwaves, the White House and a tight-knit group of former aides pushed back. They sought to paint the former press secretary as a disgruntled man trying to redeem his own reputation after long remaining silent about concerns he is suddenly taking public.

In this follow-up story by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, there is absolutely no mention of McClellan being “pushed out” of the White House.

And, unlike yesterday, this time the paper tried to get a comment from McClellan.

As for Mr. McClellan, he was mum on Wednesday….

Better.