The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Stenography as Journalism

Agence France-Presse: The Democrat’s House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, however urged a focus on a positive election year, calling to a move beyond the ongoing debate over racism in the conservative “Tea Party” movement that has divided voters. Is there any such “ongoing debate”? Has it really “divided voters”? Why is this reporter just pushing Democratic Party […]

If You Don’t Hit My Tip Jar . . .

. . . maybe I can get the federal government to subsidize me: Both the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission are undertaking studies of ways to ensure the steep economic decline faced by newspapers and broadcast news does not deprive Americans of the essential information they need as citizens. One idea under […]

Nice Try, Professor

Today, a friend of mine received an e-mail labeling me “a white supremacist.” The e-mail was forwarded to me and I smiled upon recognizing a familiar name — Jonathan Farley, an academic admirer of Che Guevara. The Washington Times, Tuesday, December 3, 2002: Vanderbilt professor outrages Confederate progeny Says Rebel soldiers deserved gallows By Robert Stacy McCain THE WASHINGTON […]

The W-Word: Fringe Journalism Is Fun!

Yes, the W is for “Weigel,” which term seems to have become as offensive (or boring) to some readers as “epistemic closure” or even “Elena Kagan Sex Tape” — the latter being a sort of satire of Rule 5, for which Marty Eisenstadt disclaims any responsibility. Summer is a great time for blog-fights because traffic always goes down during the summer anyway, […]

How to Lose $56 Million a Year

Hire Jon Meacham as editor of your magazine: The auction of Newsweek looks to be heading to some sort of ending. Final bids for the troubled weekly are expected by 5 pm Thursday at investment bank Allen & Co., according to the New York Post. There are five parties in the running, including Newsmax Media, OpenGate Capital, […]

Insulted Again

By Dan Riehl this time, seconding Melissa Clouthier’s “wild animal” characterization of journalists as inherently untrustworthy. At least he links me. Love me, hate me, as long as you link me. Here’s the thing: Media bias is a subject about which every conservative is his or her own expert. To denounce “the media,” whole hog, is obligatory for […]

Andrew Breitbart, Genius

Hmmmm. Why is he publishing David Weigel’s explanation? Rep. Ron Paul (R, Tex.) knew that I liked him, and that I was voting for him — although that didn’t stop me from co-writing a story about the history of racist comments in newsletters he published. Bob Barr knew that I liked him, and trusted me […]

‘The Written Word Is Forever’

Do you remember this headline? Dede Goes Down Upstate That story was filed from the Carriage House Inn in Watertown, N.Y. Ali Akbar, Kerry Picket of the Washington Times and Dave Weigel (then with the Washington Independent) were all blogging in the same hotel room where I was trying to hit deadline for the American Spectator with my 793-word […]

« go back — keep looking »