2.07.2004
New York Times discovers strange, alien species called conservatives
[Posted 3:02 PM by James Panero]
Sridhar Pappu reports in the February 2 New York Observer:
The conservative movement, which at various points has felt slighted, ignored, abused, dismissed and otherwise thoroughly adrift in coverage by New York’s "media elites," has finally found a place in The New York Times. Sort of.Wacky? Yes. Savvy? Quite--if your editorial motivation is to slice and dice the conservative political coalition.For the next year, David Kirkpatrick--formerly the man charged with covering the book publishing industry--will cover conservatives. Not the Republican Party or the Bush administration. No, it’s real conservatives. . . .
"I winced a little when I read that job announcement," said Times executive editor Bill Keller, "because it was a little like ’The New York Times discovers this strange, alien species called conservatives,’ and that’s not what this is about."
If it seems a little wacky, well, it is.
Here are Mr. Kirkpatrick’s latest "news" stories for the Times:
A Concerned Bloc of Republicans Wonders Whether Bush Is Conservative Enough (January 25),Jonah Goldberg calls it an "old-time gorillas-in-the-mist vibe" (more here from Timeswatch). I’d call it an old-time big-game-safari vibe--with all the nuance of a elephant gun.Conservative Groups Differ On Bush Words on Marriage (January 21),
Bush’s Push for Marriage Falls Short for Conservatives (January 15),
Bush Plans $1.5 Billion Drive for Promotion of Marriage (January 14).
And his latest: Conservatives Use Gay Union as Rallying Cry (February 8).
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