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This New York Times Website Comment Is the Single Best Comment of the Year

Crafting the perfect online comment takes a lot of work. You want it to be substantive, but also witty. It needs to drive the conversation forward, especially if it’s being reviewed by moderators. On the New York Times website, consistently great commenters get a green check mark — great commenters like ChristineMcM, who left this beauty on an article titled, “As G.O.P. Bends Toward Trump, Critics Either Give In or Give Up.”

It’s not difficult to figure out what happened here. Christine was dictating her comment using an automated transcription service, and while doing so, got interrupted by someone. She just forgot to turn the transcription off and accidentally submitted this beautiful comment, which the Times’ moderators briefly highlighted as a staff pick. “Hope your knee feels better!” one of their community editors replied.

“I was composing a message using the autospeak, and a friend arrived early to my house,” she wrote in a reply further down the thread. “I had no idea all that drivel was being recorded — there are even errors in the drivel! And then to be a pick, with about 15 emails announcing such, meant that my email went rogue.”

“Yes, folks,” she added. “I guess I do sound like Sarah Palin here!”

ChristineMcM Just Changed the Online Comment Game Forever