When Newsweek announced Tuesday that it was hiring Markos Moulitsas of Daily Kos to be a contributor during the 2008 presidential campaign, Kos told his readers, "Newsweek is ‘balancing' me out with someone that should make heads on our side explode."
As reported by the Washington Post moments ago, Moulitsas was quite prescient:
Newsweek has signed the president's former deputy chief of staff [Karl Rove] as a commentator who will turn out several columns on the 2008 campaign through inauguration day.
The Post continued (emphasis added throughout, h/t NBer Right2thePoint):
The move is not likely to prove popular among liberals who believe the mainstream media have been too soft on the Bush administration.
"We want to give readers a feel for what it's like to be on the inside," says Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham. "Our readers are sophisticated enough to know that what they get from Karl has to be judged in the context of who Karl is...Readers will have to decide if he's simply an apologist."
Newsweek (which is owned by The Washington Post Co.) will announce tomorrow that it is granting regular space to both Rove and Markos Moulitsas, the liberal firebrand who founded the Web site Daily Kos. "I'm fully prepared for both the right-wing and left-wing blogosphere to be outraged, which means we're doing our job," Meacham says.
Fascinating.
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Comments Policy
So will Karl be the token
November 15, 2007 - 15:05 ET by dscottSo will Karl be the token conservative to give Newsweek a figleaf to hide behind a claim of balanced editorializing?????? So this basically means of the 10 or so articles per issue, one will have a conservative viewpoint? Gee thanks Newsweek, that's real white of you.
Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. dscott's corollary: The line between malice and stupidity is called depraved indifference.
huh?
November 15, 2007 - 15:07 ET by candanceKos is a contributor, but Karl Rove is an apologist? How pointless is that? "uh yeah, we're hiring this guy to report the news, but we have to warn you up front he's a moutpiece for Republicans."
why couldn't they just hire objective people and be done with it?
all this boils down to is, they really wanted to hire Kos but they knew it would look bad so they're tempering him with an "apologist" for the other guys.
Stupid friggin Newsweek. I hope they go bankrupt for this.
card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
Well, sorry, I'm not "outraged"
November 15, 2007 - 15:07 ET by sarcasmoBut Meacham can safely count me as "curious about a couple of Newsweek writers' salaries." :)
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
Why would the "right-wing
November 15, 2007 - 15:10 ET by mattmWhy would the "right-wing blogosphere" be outraged? This is the most sensible thing Newsweek has done in, well, ever...
not the point
November 15, 2007 - 15:13 ET by candanceThe point is this is Newsweek. They shouldn't be hiring biased people one way or the other. As much as I love Karl Rove, I don't want him writing my news for me. We shouldn't be expected to muddle through every article trying to separate fact from opinion. If I want to watch a contest between libs and conserves, I can get that on Hannity & Colmes every night.
card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
The point is there are no
November 15, 2007 - 15:40 ET by mattmThe point is there are no biased people, except for the ones that portray themselves as objective.
Since we know where each of these people is coming from, we can take that into account when (if) we read their stuff.
The real bias problem comes in (with regard to people in the media) when a media outlet, like ABC, hires a political insider, like George Stephanopolous, and presents him as an objective journalist.
As far as the "outrage" comment goes, I was pointing to the erroneous assumption that "right wingers" were outraged at NW's hiring of Moulitas...I think bemused would be more accurate.
Hiring Rove tells me they want to actually sell some magazines.
This will be good i think -
November 15, 2007 - 15:44 ET by TruthMongerThis will be good i think - but Karl might not last long with all of the hate mail they are going to recieve now
I'm not outraged either - NW is already the liberal bias poster child - moulitas may very well bring them to the right:)
Matt
November 15, 2007 - 15:50 ET by Noel SheppardMatt,
These are both very smart moves by Newsweek. This is a win-win-win for all involved. ns
I agree Noel and this is all most conservatives even hope for
November 15, 2007 - 17:46 ET by Dee BunkWe don't want the left silenced like they do us, we just what to have a representative who knows our philosophy to give our side. We only want equal time, they want a monopoly on it. The only reason we have so many more listeners on talk radio is because we aren't allowed in the MSM media in any significant way.
double post
November 15, 2007 - 15:14 ET by candanceoops!
Um...yeah...something to put here....
Go Tar Heels!
card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
Tar Heels
November 15, 2007 - 15:23 ET by ricklailFinally good to have another Tar Heel fan here. That was close one last night. Join us on Saturdays for the sports post.
Southern by birth, Tarheel by the grace of God!
close call
November 15, 2007 - 15:27 ET by candanceGosh that was a scare last night. Davidson was scrapping it out with us! I hope Tyler can keep from getting frustrated in the future.
card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
Stephen Curry looks just
November 15, 2007 - 15:51 ET by ricklailStephen Curry looks just like his dad in phsyical appearance and ability. I can't wait until DOOK plays Davidson. They might just get beat.
Southern by birth, Tarheel by the grace of God!
Hmmm... Odd move by Newsweek
November 15, 2007 - 15:18 ET by Six String SpiffI Sense a repeat of Popular Mechanics and the 'Truthers' (oy). Karl Rove will make KOMmie Kos look like an idiot.. wait.. It will go thusly:
KOS: Rant
Rove: Fact
KOS: Screach
Rove: Fact
KOS: Random insult
Rove: Fact
KOS: Threatens to leave Newsweek unless Rove goes
Rove: Fact
Islamic Religious Services Will Be Held at the Firing Range At 0800 Daily.
Rove should
November 15, 2007 - 15:19 ET by Senior ChiefRove should decline...Fairness Doctrine on a sleazy move and Rove will be the guinee pig. The leftoids will have plenty of bullets and a go ahead signal for the democrack congress to pursue fainess doctrine legislation. I smell a stinkin, rotten fish on this one, and I hope Rove does!
Finally the plans of the
November 15, 2007 - 15:29 ET by Airforce_5_OFinally the plans of the weather machine will be reveled! HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!
The only thing you should feel when shooting insurgents is the rifle recoil.
NewWeak...
November 15, 2007 - 15:32 ET by heldmyw...Will cave.
The hysterical, off-topic screeching at Rove's very existence drives white-hot spikes of screaming pain into "Progressive" eyesockets.
The idea that he gets an unhindered(?) national forum to drub their looney-ism is going to be more than limp ol' NewsWeek can handle.
They'll drop this experiment within 5 months.
Gracelessly.
And this doesn't even begin to address the disparity of gravitas, intelligence and throw weight between Markos and Karl. Kos isn't even a good pretender in this bout.
The idea that he gets an
November 15, 2007 - 15:55 ET by dscottThe idea that he gets an unhindered(?) national forum to drub their looney-ism is going to be more than limp ol' NewsWeek can handle.
Ah, but let's not forget, every word that Rove writes will be filtered, I mean edited by the editors of Newsweek. He probably has a 300 word limit so they will selectively delete sentences and words to hold him to his alloted space. By the time they finish with one of his articles, it will not convey his meaning, but the nuance of the editor's desired message. Unhindered, yeah, right, and pigs can fly... <sarcasm>
Karl Rove: Bush is not dumb, he is not stubborn, he hates evil.
When finished editing: Bush is dumb, he is stubborn, he evil.
Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. dscott's corollary: The line between malice and stupidity is called depraved indifference.
Surely...
November 15, 2007 - 16:26 ET by heldmywRove's Legal Beagles would take that kind of crapola into account when they wrote up the contract?
I mean, if you took a job with Keith Olbermann, wouldn't you have an iron-clad contract that included how far away from you he had to stay?
I hope NW is actually
November 15, 2007 - 15:37 ET by Six String SpiffI hope NW is actually attempting to bring balance. Maybe our following have alerted them to their impending demise. Either that or they actually believe somehow Markos will make Rove look bad. which is impossible. Rove will always be smarter and more informed than king KOS.
Islamic Religious Services Will Be Held at the Firing Range At 0800 Daily.
Just a gimmick
November 15, 2007 - 15:55 ET by IamTinmanThe reason that you see Rove/Kos in Newsweek is, despite their overall lack of objectivity, they are aware of one maxim, Conflict sells !! It won't improve a rag that looks more and more like "People" magazine, but it may improve their bottom line. Not with my hard earned shekels however!
Was thinking the same thing -
November 15, 2007 - 16:36 ET by FastEdwith circulation down, this seems like a last gasp for readers, and it could actually work!
Possibility - kos shows he's a dope, Rove proves kos is a dope, people read and encourage Rove, Newsweek learns that truth sells.
SMACK (hits self in head), what was I thinking?
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
Possibility - kos shows
November 15, 2007 - 18:10 ET by dscottPossibility - kos shows he's a dope, Rove proves kos is a dope, people read and encourage Rove, Newsweek learns that truth sells.
SMACK (hits self in head), what was I thinking?
That would occur only if a share holder revolt happened. As soon as they get some market share, Rove will be gone and KOS will be kept as one of the mainstays. Pardon my cynism.
Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. dscott's corollary: The line between malice and stupidity is called depraved indifference.
Thanks for the H/T Been
November 15, 2007 - 15:38 ET by Right2thePointThanks for the H/T
Been thumbing through the usual suspects on the left and my RSS reader is kicking into overdrive.
Making popcorn just to watch the trolls appear.
I'm actually surprised. I
November 15, 2007 - 15:45 ET by TEI'm actually surprised. I expected the leftists at Newsweek to select a Newsweek "conservative" like David Gergen, Andrew Sullivan (hahahahaha), Ann Stone, William Safire, Chuck Hagel or Hillary Clinton.
Glenn Greenwald...
November 15, 2007 - 16:27 ET by heldmyw...Or whatever name he's going by these days...
Meacham also said...
November 15, 2007 - 16:04 ET by Joe4Coulter...The move is not likely to prove popular among liberals who believe the mainstream media have been too soft on the Bush administration.
Why don't you prove them wrong Mr. Meacham by producing a side-by-side list of all the positive/negative articles your publication produced about the administration? Don't take those attacks from your subscribers lying down - FIGHT BACK! Show them the facts!
Good Orderly Direction
Do you suppose that...
November 15, 2007 - 16:30 ET by heldmyw...They think that this will get new subscribers? From the Conservative side? Naaah!
Frankly, I'll wait to see excerpts online (with commentary from witty pundits). I wouldn't give that tawdry rag a dime.
They're barely a step away from being a tabloid.
This will be like watching
November 15, 2007 - 16:30 ET by kgThis will be like watching Hannity and Colmes.
Ahh, shut-up Alan.
Holy crap, didn't see that
November 15, 2007 - 16:46 ET by wiwfHoly crap, didn't see that one coming!
Might just read newsweek now!
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
The problem is that Karl has
November 15, 2007 - 16:47 ET by jpm100The problem is that Karl has been so successfully demonized with the Left and even many Independents or Moderates, arguments from him will be discreditted simply because they are coming out of his mouth.
It will make it harder for others to use those same arguments to sway people.
Its as if you're on trial and the only witness to your aliabi is OJ Simpson. Would it benefit you to call him as a witness?
It's a Democrat/MSM Setup
November 15, 2007 - 17:15 ET by TinianI agree. In fact, the more articulate and well reasoned Rove's observations are, the better they will serve the MSM to discredit the GOP. It'll come down to the argument: "hey, if Karl Rove said it, it must be wrong".
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
I know that Karl Rove was
November 15, 2007 - 18:41 ET by Chris NormanI know that Karl Rove was the loyal Bush advisor, but is he a good representative for the conservative side? Wouldn't he be considered more of a strategist? I've read his politics are more pragmatic and when I see that, I think, gulp, David Gergen...
I've read his politics are
November 15, 2007 - 18:44 ET by Free StinkerI've read his politics are more pragmatic
Oh great! Real Politic Redux. Because that's wat we need more of.
/Sarcasm Off
FS
November 15, 2007 - 20:03 ET by Chris NormanYeah, like I said, David Gergen. I don't know who influenced Bush the most, policy-wise, but someone had him spending a lot of money and advocating a fairly liberal policy towards illegal immigration. I've never read anything from Rove advancing conservative principles. Has anyone?
Someone make Rove a better offer
November 15, 2007 - 18:07 ET by JayTeeWriting for Newsweek doesn't mean much, it doesn't even mean people will be reading what you write in numbers above the readers of "UFO's discovered in New Mexico"
This can't be Carl's best Offer ? Maybe he's gonna take 30 minutes a week to write some paragraphs for BIG $$'s.
This seems sorta like Hillary's Pant Suit droping to the floor in Bill's Bedroom, will Bill hear it ?
What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ? David Foote GoE
A shame!!
November 15, 2007 - 18:25 ET by sharinliteThis "match(?)-up) is not only a waste of time but, a great shame on Newsweek. Kos vs Rove? Please! Kos no brain will come out like the chump he is.
Newsweak
November 15, 2007 - 20:38 ET by WoodyMI give it two months at the most. Newsweek just needed Rove to counter criticism on Markos Moulitsas. Then, they'll use some sham reason to boot Rove.