Recently the Puffington Post [1]published this item:
[2]The Huffington Post has learned that, in a move bound to create controversy, the New York Times is set to announce that Bill Kristol will become a weekly columnist in 2008. Kristol, a prominent neo-conservative who recently departed [3] Time magazine in what was reported [4] as a “mutual” decision, has close ties to the White House and is a well-known proponent [5] of the war in Iraq. Kristol also is a regular contributor [6] to Fox News’ Special Report with Brit Hume.
Judging by the reaction in the Leftosphere, you’d have thought that Pinch Sulzberger just announced higher subscription rates for women, children and subscribers of color.
Stink Progress [7], blogged:
For years, Bill Kristol has been at the forefront of a vitriolic right-wing crusade against the New York Times. Sadly, the Times has chosen to reward him [1] for it.
Carpetbagger Report [8], bogged:
Recently cast off from Time magazine, presumably for writing shallow, predictable tripe, the Weekly Standard’s William Kristol is getting a promotion of sorts [1].
A contary view, Matthew Yglesias, Atlantic [9], happens to like the idea:
Thus I think we have to consider it good news that he’s apparently been hired by [1] The New York Times.
This picture is the only picture I can find of Bill Kristol in the blog’s archves and these marks the third time its been posted. So I’d say that this blog is not terribly obsessed with Bill Kristol, one way or the other.
The fact is that the New York Times isn’t much of a paper seven days a week. Having Bill Kristol on the op=ed page once a week isn’t going to change much.
More, Memeorandum.
Addendum I: (Bit)
Amongst all the screaming, I’m seeing claims that this is proof of a right-wing cabal at the NY Times.
Laughable.
Out here in the real world what it looks like is a paper that has been stung by 2 decades of charges (And proof) of it’s continual left-leaning, and trying to right the ship.
Addendum II: (David L)
Not righting the ship, as in obtaining an even keel, but mere tokenism, more for show than substance.
Addendum III (Bit) True… Image is everything to such people… of greater import than reality.
Addendum IV and Bump: (David L)
Josh Marshall, Talking Points Memo [10], is generous enough to allow that the New York Times can tolerate one conservative, so long as he is a neutered version of a conservative:
But the weirdest thing about the choice is that Sulzberger and Co. have failed to grasp the taxonomy of the neoconservative literary cartel. David Brooks is the house-broken William Kristol, the cadre tasked with operating just behind enemy lines, or at least in the no-man’s-land where only a kinder gentler version of the faith can be propounded. And they already have him.
So why you’d want both Kristol and Brooks on staff is a question that simply has no logical answer unless they got some sort of two for one deal or other kind of group discount
Alas if Bill Kristol actually could ravish the Times.