Hey, anyone who can work in information about musicals into an article about politics and history can’t be all bad.  But Bob Herbert needs a history lesson.  In his New York Time’s piece, he reminisces about the tumultuous year of 1968, which was (obviously) forty years ago:

It seems impossible that 1968, the most incredible year of a most incredible decade, was 40 years ago. As the new year tiptoed in, Americans wrapped themselves as usual in the comfort of optimism. Snow fell on the revelers in Times Square. A threatened New York City subway strike was averted and the 20-cent fare maintained.

No one had a clue about what was in store. A friend of mine, looking back, said, “Sixty-eight was the whirlwind.”

It was a presidential election year, and The Times reported on Jan. 1 that G.O.P. leaders believed that Gov. Nelson Rockefeller of New York was the only Republican who could defeat Lyndon Johnson. Richard Nixon might give the president a good run, they said, but would probably lose. Ronald Reagan and the governor of Michigan, George Romney, would most likely lose decisively.

“The Sound of Music” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie” were hit movies, both starring Julie Andrews. “Hello Dolly” and “Fiddler on the Roof” were on Broadway. Ladies nylons at Gimbel’s were 88 cents a pair, and men’s dress shirts at Bloomingdale’s were three for $14.75.

Bzzzzzzzzt.  Sorry, Bob!  Thoroughly Modern Millie was not released in 1968, it was released in 1967 — early 1967.

And worse still, The Sound of Music was released in 1965.

So much for "the paper of record".