One might think it's impossible to write a 6,000-plus-word story without quoting a single woman, but … one would be wrong! https://t.co/JQFOTmanq1
— Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) April 19, 2022
Shawn McCreesh does his best to make this very long beat-sweetener exciting, but it had me nodding off at every third paragraph:
Abe Rosenthal, the totemic New York Times editor who published the Pentagon Papers, used to say that there was one path to the executive editor’s office — over the dead, burned, and maimed bodies of the ten other people who wanted the job. So I turned to Joseph Kahn, the new top dog at the Times, and asked whom he incinerated to get here.
“I didn’t kill anybody,” he said, suppressing a sly smile. It was late last Friday afternoon — just days before it would be announced that he had ascended to journalism’s Iron Throne — and we were sitting in a conference room high above the empty newsroom. “The truth is that we’re in a bit of a different era, and some of the transitions in the past admittedly have been rocky, and there have been more abrupt changes in leadership. I think we’re going to have a really smooth change in leadership.”…
After Abramson, Dean Baquet took over in 2014 and became one of the most popular executive editors in the paper’s modern history. Kahn is no prom king, but nobody is much surprised that the paper’s proprietors picked him. He is the ultimate inside man, so sturdy, disciplined, and reverential to the mission of the Times that the very notion of him self-destructing seems improbable.
Kahn had led me into the elevator and down the hallway lined with photographs of the paper’s Pulitzer Prize winners and into this room adorned with black-and-white pictures of the old printing press. The place was desolate, but the Times has never been bigger. It can hardly even be called a newspaper anymore. The company has some 5,000 full-time employees, and it produces documentaries and podcasts, newsletters and cooking apps. It bought the podcasting company Serial, the sports site The Athletic, and a daily chunk of your procrastination time since it got ahold of Wordle.
“It’s just a big responsibility,” said Kahn, 57, looking trim in a blue polo shirt, gray cardigan, and jeans. “I’ve been Dean’s partner for five years now, and I’ve seen the way that he navigates the challenge of editing the Times when we’re under as much, or more, scrutiny than we ever have been in history.”…
My inner peasant is tempted to speculate on the horrors due to emerge from Kahn’s closets: Hentai-anime-level sexual perversion? Murder victims rotting in the crawl space of his ‘expensively modernist’ second home upstate? Most unforgivable, peculation from the Rosenthal piggy bank?…
Not a smidgin of irony anywhere, not even feigned—
“…to navigate how, exactly, the paper of record should cover the erosion of American democracy while not unintentionally furthering it…”
“Look, it’s hard… says Baquet. “I mean, look at how much fun it can be, too. Right?”
— Focused on democracy (@JusticeMustWin) April 20, 2022
So much of what's wrong with the Times & its ilk compressed into a single tweet. Brava!
????????????— John Edwin Mason (@johnedwinmason) April 19, 2022
Here's what @adamdavidson said about Dean Baquet's reign as top editor of The Times, which is officially over with the naming of his successor today. https://t.co/QDZG27QEqH pic.twitter.com/lHXa3Axx1Q
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) April 19, 2022
JPL
Margaret Sullivan the former public editor said he treated her fairly, so there’s hope.
Mike in NC
Thanks to Vladimir Putin, James Comey, and the New York Times we got four years of Donald Trump in the White House.
Another Scott
In other news, …
Home Secretary Priti Patel will decide whether to approve UK court order to extradite WikiLeaks founder.
AlJazeera
Uncle Sam can be quite persistent…
Cheers,
Scott.
meander
Some fire from Dan Froomkin about the Times and Kushner’s bloody and corrupt $2 billion deal: Explosive NYT story on Jared Kushner ignored by almost everyone, including the NYT
Froomkin’s an insightful critic of media, and has been at it for decades (I first read him in the WaPo during GWB’s misrule).
Ben Cisco
And the bastards will NEVER cop to it.
MomSense
I shared this link at the end of the now dead thread below. Please indulge me spamming this content. I think it’s really important. This is an interview with the messaging/electoral guru Rachel Bitecofer. She shared some really tough news about the November elections for Democrats UNLESS we act now.
For everyone who loves to complain about Democratic messaging, this is for you. A realistic critique AND what to do about it.
https://www.bobcesca.com/the-bob-cesca-interview-rachel-bitecofer-on-the-midterms-4-20-22/
Ruckus ??
@Mike in NC:
And the resultant lowering of standards of so many things. Humanity. Reality. Democracy. Judiciary. Humanity. (Yes I put that in there twice, sue me.) I’m sure I’ve left things out.
Betty Cracker
@meander: Froomkin is one of the best.
@MomSense: I’ll give it a listen — thanks!
Another Scott
Isn’t that some sort of category error?
Popular with the Sulzbergers, that’s what matters??
Sheesh.
Cheers,
Scott.
Ruckus ??
@Another Scott:
Your link stated that he’s looking towards 175 yrs if he gets the full sentence. Also stated that the US stated he will likely get far less. I’m thinking that 75 yrs is far less and his 50 and 75 makes that reasonably substantial.
Ruckus ??
@Another Scott:
Popular with the Sulzbergers, that’s what matters??
They sign the paychecks of the people who sign the paychecks of course that’s who matters……..
Martin
If the NYT had any genuine interest in reform, they’d have made an offer to DougJ who has their number to a frightening degree.
wetzel
What a bunch of jackasses.
Another Scott
@Ruckus ??: IANAL, but my recollection is that many/most of the famous recent-ish espionage cases effectively had 30 year sentences. E.g. Pollard’s life sentence.
But I see that is because federal parole existed when he was convicted, and parole was usually granted after 30 years were served. Federal parole was abolished in 1987, so Assange might be in the federal pokey quite a while (assuming he’s convicted)…
Cheers,
Scott.
ian
@Martin:
I think my favorite tweets of his are when he doesn’t have to type anything, just retweets a NYT story verbatim. I miss him here though
Old Man Shadow
“Hmm… I could write the objective truth, but that would require more hours, developing credible sources, fact checking what I’m told, and generally pissing people off… or I could say Objectivity is the midpoint between whatever Republicans and Democrats say, knock off early for drinks, and call it a day. Both options pay the same…”
Another Scott
I didn’t read enough of the nymag piece to see this photo.
Flabbergasting.
I mean, really??
Cheers,
Scott.
Kay
Hotze is a Fox News cable tv doctor who has to be at least 70 years old. This is what they did:
What’s funny about conservatives is HOW OLD the criminals are. I don’t know if people know this but criminals are generally young, so much so that judges mention it if there’s an older criminal who comes thru a county court. The criminals on the Right are elderly and they still don’t know any better.
debbie
Already shared.
Calouste
@Kay:
I think that might be a more accurate description.
Geminid
@MomSense: Rachel Bitecofer isn’t all gloom. When someone else posted about billboards in Wisconsin and Florida that told drivers about Rick Scott’s stupid 11-point plan and stated in large bold letters “REPUBLICANS WANT TO RAISE YOUR TAXES,” Bitecofer reposted it with the comment, “Sweet baby Jesus!”
Baud
DOJ is appealing the transportation mask mandate decision.
James E Powell
@MomSense:
Somehow need to get that to every Democratic candidate.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Beat sweetener? Maybe. But it looks like someone at NY Mag made him want to look like a dork. (I feel dirty posting a Byron York tweet, but…)
Cephalus Max
Wait, what? The NYTimes appointed a new executive editor (overdue) and THIS is the guy they chose?
Wow, these guys are nuts. And by guys, I mean guys.
I’m all for Margaret Sullivan. (And if not her, maybe Froomkin.)
I suspect DougJ is still enjoying his day job too much to consider this. ;)
debbie
@Baud:
Colbert was incredulous at the ruling. From the Guardian, this bothered him the most:
prostratedragon
@Kay: Often I’ve found myself saying of one of them, they’re too old for this crap.
Peale
@Kay: This is a lawyer thing, but shouldn’t this kind of petty crime not take 18 moths to charge someone with? Like the political motivation here seems particularly irrelevant since there was property damage and a weapon. I’m pretty sure if I rammed a car on purpose and pointed a gun at someone, I would plea bargaining for my life right now.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
When the story is over before you see the first tweet…. anyone know what happened? From “probable threat” to “no bigs” in 15 minutes? better to err on the side of caution I suppose (posting the new one first to minimize impact)
I’m not seeing much beyond tweets, but I wonder if “aircraft” means “drone”? nobody seems to be saying ” plane”
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Fercrissake
Ishiyama
@Peale: The problem is that Hotze paid the guy who did the actual assault and he will claim that he never authorized the use of violence.
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Baseball pregame show or coup?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ruckus ??
@Kay:
It’s hard to know better when you only listen to the cult you belong to…. especially if you’ve only been listening to them for decades.
Villago Delenda Est
Baquet has been dogshit as the Vichy Times executive editor, and I don’t expect Kahn here to be any better. The Sulzbergers, of course, need to be all frog marched on to a rocket ship to Triton and disposed of that way.
Cephalus Max
@Another Scott: Whoa. Did this guy really agree to/partipate in this photo?
Kay
@Peale:
Aguirre, who is the “disgraced” (guffaw) police officer they hired to go attack random repair people, has already been indicted as the main perp. The rich old man paid Aguirre. They paid Aguirre 221,000 dollars and now look at the mess they’re in.
Baud
@Another Scott:
“Paint me like one of your French newspaper editors.”
Villago Delenda Est
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Exqueeeze me? Didn’t bother to coordinate? WTF is the problem here?
kindness
Yea, uh, lost me at ‘Dean Baquet took over in 2014 and became one of the most popular executive editors in the paper’s modern history’.
Harrym
You would have thought they’d include something from a trans woman, to at least give an appearance of diversity!
schrodingers_cat
In sheer vileness no American journalist can match the Godi media courtier press. { Godi == embrace, lap)
Godi rhymes with Modi, the d is soft
Case in point, Navika Kumar cackling in glee after the local govt in Delhi bulldozed some shops (mostly Muslims were affected, but some Hindu shops were affected as well) defying a court order.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
That is vile for a professional journalist.
schrodingers_cat
@MomSense: Bitcofer is a grifter. She had predicted that Ds will lose both Houses in 2020 unless they paid her organization 3 million dollars
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I think she’s trying too hard to fill a niche ere
germy
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
The story makes it seem like the rule is targeting medical marijuana.
MagdaInBlack
@Another Scott: Wtf??
Roger Moore
@Peale:
This isn’t about the guy who rammed the truck and held the driver at gunpoint being charged. They’re now charging the guy who funded and directed the operation. Charging him with a violet felony that he wasn’t even present for requires a bit more leg work than charging the gunman.
FelonyGovt
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Between this and yesterday’s tweet celebrating the end of the mask mandate on planes, I wonder if she is another Tulsi Gabbard Dem-in-name only?
KrackenJack
@Baud: Even if it is going to expire in a few weeks, not challenging it makes it the law of the land when the next wave or pandemic or public health emergency arises.
Another Scott
Eyes on the prizes.
Donated.
(via LOLGOP)
Cheers,
Scott.
Geminid
@schrodingers_cat: 2020 is incorrect. The tweet is from January 2021.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@MomSense: can you give us a brief summary?
Another Scott
Interesting (and long) review of Breyer’s book by Leah Litman at the Michigan Law Review:
A taste:
Imagine being a clerk to a SCOTUS justice and in then end questioning whether one wanted to actually be a lawyer!
It’s a good read.
Cheers,
Scott.
schrodingers_cat
@Geminid: I stand corrected she is talking about 2022.
Almost every month she makes the prediction that Ds will lose both chambers unless we do as she says which mostly means hiring her and using Republican like tactics.
The tactics that works on Republican voters are not going to work for Democratic voters.
Kay
@Another Scott:
It is good. The lawyers who really believed it are the saddest. I mean that sincerely- I think it’s very difficult for them to watch what they see as really ignorant, stubborn refusal to see the threat.
schrodingers_cat
@Geminid: Your favorite tweeter Magdi Semrau is not a fan of Bitecofer either.
Felanius Kootea
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: The niche of helping Charlie Crist win the primary? What on earth?
Honus
@schrodingers_cat: I’m a fan of Bitcofer. She’s been pretty much right about everything the past three years. OTOH, I’ve never heard of Magdi Semrau.
different-church-lady
I’m kinda thinking a James Bond villain might have been the wrong choice, but I’m gonna keep an open mind…
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Another Scott
@Honus: She’s been right about some things, and wrong about some things.
DailyPress (from 2000):
Politics is chaotic. Pundits learn to be circumspect if they want to last in the business.
FWIW.
Cheers,
Scott.
Geminid
@schrodingers_cat: Semrau clearly was on the right side of that particular argument. But I don’t see Bitecofer as any better in this area of political analysis than your average Balloon Juice commenter. Her strengths are election analysis, and she may turn out to be a good campaign communications creator. Bitecofer will get her chances this cycle and people will be able to judge by results.
Geminid
@Honus: Magdi Semrau is better known by her Twitter handle, “Mangy Jay.” I bet you’d like her.
Kayla Rudbek
@Kay: too much lead in their environment growing up
Anne Laurie
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign manager had a lot more fun during the 2020 primaries than they do as just another Senatorial staff assistant, is how I read that breathless promo.
The CNN article also includes the caveat ‘if Biden doesn’t run again‘, and The Hill just had a BREAKING!!!! tweet that (omg!) Biden assured Obama that he absolutely intends to run in 2024, so: asked and answered, Sanders campaign manager!
lowtechcyclist
@Mike in NC:
Indeed. When Baquet says “…to navigate how, exactly, the paper of record should cover the erosion of American democracy while not unintentionally furthering it…” all I can think of is that disastrous NYT front page several days before the 2016 election, where the entire front page above the fold was about the latest twist in the Butter Emails saga.
We need a modern-day equivalent of St. Helena where we could exile some of these people.
lowtechcyclist
@schrodingers_cat: I think it’s more that Bitecofer’s gotten high on her own supply to the extent that it’s turned into a savior complex, where she’s the only person who sees what must be done to (in this case) win the midterms.
Kinda like an update of the old “I’m the only sane one, it’s everyone else that’s crazy” trope.
There were a number of things she saw clearly before the rest of the crowd got there, so I was a big fan of hers four or five years back. But I stopped reading her well over a year ago because the savior complex was getting a bit too much.