For two years, TalkLeft has published using the "editorial we." There have been many reasons for this, not the least of which is the "six degrees of separation" I hoped to keep between the blog and my law practice. Nobody should seek my legal services because they like what I say on TalkLeft. One has nothing to do with the other. In fact, clients should beware any lawyer who interjects his or her political beliefs as to what the law should be in an argument to a court. If you want the law changed, take it to Congress, not the courts.

I also use the "editorial we" because TalkLeft speaks from the viewpoint of many, although certainly not all, criminal defense lawyers, whose top priority is defending the citizen accused. The main reason criminal defense lawyers comment on cable news shows and give interviews to the print media is to enable the public to view laws and court proceedings through the lens of the Constitution. "We" has a lot more impact than "I" in this regard.

Of course I realized that blogging at the DNC in Boston would call more attention to me, Jeralyn, and that while my identity as TalkLeft's creator and principal author is readily available though TalkLeft's "about page," that after the DNC, more people would associate TalkLeft with me. I decided it was worth the risk because the opportunity to go to Boston was such a special one. And now, it seems like that's exactly what has happened. Other bloggers are now referring to TalkLeft as "Jeralyn"--see here and here and here.

Many readers have criticized TalkLeft's use of the "editorial we" in the past and I've always found that the reasons stated above justify disregarding them. Now, I'm not so sure.

So, as an experiment, even though it seems unnatural, self-absorbed and insanely non-private, I'm going to post for a week using "I" instead of "we." It's only an experiment, so don't go ballistic if I change back to the more comfortable "we" next week. Our contributing blogger TChris will continue to post as TChris--unless the Supreme Court agrees to hear his Blakely case, in which case it may be months before he has time to blog again.

Hey, if Atrios can come out of "the closet,", so can I. Feel free to let me know in comments which way you like it better--"we" or "I." Everyone's opinion matters here.