The one clear conclusion in the fallout from the Chozick book? There has been no reckoning at the #NewYorkTimes. No newsroom autopsy. No blue ribbon commission. No inquiry from the publisher, as in Blair and WMD. Until that happens, it's all bizarre anti-journalistic reaction.
And as I've argued before, when you have reporters on Twitter essentially filling in as the voices of the institution? That's a recipe for pure disaster. First off, they're Godawful at it. Just terrible. Secondly, it's unfair. Why don't the publishers stand up and defend the NYT?
Today, you have the opinion page editors trying to "steer" the direction of the Chozick fallout with three anti-Clinton letters. So clumsy and obvious! When the defense of a *damned newspaper* is "the candidate was really to blame" then journalism has failed completely. #NYT
And when that newspaper is the New York Times, well...you can see how the threat to democracy developed in this country. Think about it, folks. That's Eighth Avenue cherrypicking three letters to basically prove the argument Trump makes daily: "Hillary to blame."
The saddest part to me as a longtime reader and former contributor is the sense that the NYT is no longer on our side - that it's abandoned readers, and its heralded place in democracy. Just so troubling.
This is just another embarrassment for the NYT. What are they thinking?
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I'll say this clearly for you people in the back who just don't get it: I'll take a government full of establishment hacks over a fascist bigot threatening the existence of American democracy any day of the week. Hell, I'll fight for that "establishment" if it saves this country.
You want to make new law, pass progressive legislation, build a fairer country? Me too! First, save the system of laws by casting out this criminal regime. It's the whole ballgame. We will advance NOTHING till he's gone.
I have zero patience for all of your "well, Hitler was just a symptom of something larger" bullshit. Ride or walk, it's your choice. Do you even care? Is it all an intellectual exercise? Does this fucking BORE you?
This is a generalization, but how come Democrats of color have always seen the threat from Russia so damned clearly - while others (shall we say) have not? And despite our national history of racism? This fact (and it is one) always amazes me.
The CBC has been "Russia stole the election" from the start. Liberal commentators (non-white) - 'Russia stole the damned election." In 2016. White progressive counterparts: 'don't make us laugh." Why is that?
Obvious exceptions apply, but it's a pattern. In my own circle if acquaintances I find this generalization holds. "Our country is under attack" was FAR more likely to be the line I heard from non-white lefties in 2016.
1. Just for the record: here is the section of New York State election law that governs registration for primaries - more accurately, changing or designating parties to take part in our closed primary system - again, New York State Law.
2. Here's the link. It's one helluva read, folks! All 722 pages. Get some hot cocoa, settle in. elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/downloa…
3. Obviously, we need changes in New York. The law requires about 200 days before a presidential primary (depending on dates). Reformers in New York know this. #Indivisible - by far the strongest grassroots movement in NY - supports this. As do I.