Graydon Carter's 'When the Going Was Good'

“You better let me take this. They’d never believe it coming from you.” That’s legendary New York Times editor R.W. Apple at the end of a particularly expensive dinner with Times colleague Joseph Lelyveld. Though Lelyveld had extended the dinner invitation to Apple, and had chosen the venue, Apple’s spending resume that included “the world’s single-trip expense-account record.” Only he could submit such a receipt.