We watched closely as Gov. Wes Moore spoke during a prime-time slot on the third night of the Democratic National Convention, wondering if he’d use one of the biggest stages in politics to make his rising star burn brighter or turn the spotlight toward Maryland.

He did a little of both, serving as a loyal surrogate to Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Moore recalled the Key Bridge collapse, deftly showing how Harris could be trusted in a crisis while amplifying his effective leadership.

“While many said it could take 11 months to reopen the Port of Baltimore, we got it done in 11 weeks,” Moore told a cheering crowd in Chicago. “You never learn anything about anybody when times are easy. You learn everything you need to know about somebody when times are hard and when the temperature gets turned up.”

He was mainly referring to Harris. Less than two weeks later, the words can apply to Moore, as he faces blowback after his integrity is questioned. A New York Times report last week revealed Moore inaccurately stated he received a Bronze Star on a 2006 application for a White House fellowship.

Moore said it was “an honest mistake” made after senior officers said the honor was forthcoming. He expressed regret for not correcting the record.

We’re journalists. We believe in healthy skepticism, especially when it comes to politicians. Wes Moore is very much a politician, but we think he deserves the benefit of the doubt here. That’s not to say we don’t have concerns about the Maryland governor. We frequently worry he’ll focus more on his popularity than the voters, or that his rising star will take him too far from Annapolis and our state. But we’ve never worried about him stealing valor.

Moore has a lot going for him. He doesn’t need to make himself sound like a bigger hero to win favor. And if it surprises you that a politician would lean into what makes them seem more electable, you must be really new to politics.

Long before he was governor, Moore served 16 years in the Army. During that time, he joined the fight in Afghanistan and was so effective in drawing out the Taliban from enemy villages that his superior officers believed he deserved a Bronze Star for service. He already has a handful of other medals.

It’s worth noting that, despite the recent controversy, Moore could still receive the Bronze Star, possibly before the end of the year. It is common for military awards to be delayed, especially those processed during wartime when the focus is on fulfilling the mission and getting soldiers home safely. It’s also common for almost every government agency to grapple with long delays. For example, Americans have waited years for corrections, adjustments and proper disbursements from the IRS and Social Security Administration.

But at some point, Moore knew he did not have the Bronze Star he anticipated. He should have corrected the record and the interviewers who had it wrong. The interviewers and Moore likely had about 45 seconds to prepare before cameras started rolling, and biographies are rarely corrected in real time on live TV. Moore likely didn’t write the script for how he was introduced, and the interviewers probably didn’t write them either.

We encourage all accountability reporting, but it’s worth asking what these recent reports really change. Moore served his country with honor, and that hasn’t changed. He’s a popular governor and rising star in the Democratic Party, and that’s unlikely to change.

Moore is being tested, much like vice-presidential running mate Tim Walz, who faces scrutiny for implying he saw combat. If the opposition had anything better than military awards, we’d already know about it.

“Over the last few weeks, our country has grown used to seeing what it looks like when a veteran’s integrity is attacked for political gain,” Moore said in a statement Friday. “But those who seek to cast doubt on our records misunderstand something fundamental about true patriots, who have put on the flag of our country and put everything on the line to be called Americans: We don’t get shaken. We put our heads down, and we do the work. And that is what I will continue to do.”

Moore is a combat veteran. He went to war in Afghanistan while most of us were comfortable at home. If you want to criticize him as a governor, you should exercise your freedom of speech. But don’t diminish his service to the country based on what medals he has.