And Connolly said the process by which the story was printed is not essential to know. Anyone able to think critically should be able to see the conflicts and contradictions presented in Cooke's story, Connolly said. Consider what would have happened, Connolly said, had things been done differently. Perhaps she would have gotten another assignment, effectively sending Jimmy's story to the back of a drawer, where it would have gotten buried and forgotten. Perhaps disaster could have been averted.
Editors are there to be skeptics.
They must see the forest and the trees, watching that both the details and the bigger picture make sense. Copy editing can save the world if it's done well enough.