POLITICO's Patrick Gavin talks to the Sunday show hosts.
Lord Leveson breaks a rule of journalism.
Mark Thompson delays town hall meetings.
Arthur Sulbzerger splits with girlfriend.
Ex-Philly Inquirer ed joins the Eagles.
Clarity Media buys Colorado Springs Gazette.
Rick Santelli blows up on CNBC.
And Nate Silver doesn't like POLITICO.
POLITICO's founding editors John Harris and Jim VandeHei today announced a number of internal newsroom moves.
In a decision made earlier this year by owner Robert Albritton and CEO Fred Ryan, chief operating officer Kim Kingsley was promoted to run the company on both the business and editorial sides while Harris, editor-in-chief, and VandHei, executive editor, will work on editorial and long-term strategies. Harris will continue to direct editorial coverage, VandeHei will continue to focus on strategic direction; both will continue to write for POLITICO.
"The two of us will continue our roles in directing editorial and long-term strategies, working as co-founders with Robert and Fred to position POLITICO for the next phase of its growth. But all of us agree Kim is the best person to run things on a daily basis, as she is already doing," Harris and VandeHei wrote in a staff-wide memo.
In addtion, online managing editor Danielle Jones has been named deputy editor-in-chief, a new position in which she will run the news side of the business on a day-to-day basis. Chief deputy managing editor Craig Gordon has been named managing editor of content, overseeing content across the entire company. Tim Grieve, who has led POLITICO Pro, the subscription service, has been named managing editor in charge of platforms, including the website, Pro, the paper, and mobile apps.
"As is obvious from these descriptions, Craig and Tim will work together hand-in-glove, since there is no platform without great content, and no content without a great platform," Harris and VandeHei wrote. Both Gordon and Grieve will report to Jones.
Managing editor Bill Nichols has been named editor-at-large, and "will continue to play a major role in the daily life of POLITICO, with a heavy emphasis on politics and the new projects that we hope to undertake," according to Harris and VandeHei. Nichols will "also take on some new assignments, among them the role of serving as primary ambassador to the outside world—effectively an ombudsman—when questions arise about our journalism or subjects of stories seek engagement with someone in authority at the top rank of the newsroom. He is also the newsroom leader charged with ensuring our publication does not waver from our own inflexible standards on journalistic ethics."
"That’s a lot of movement, and some of these movements clearly create new openings that will have to be filled in coming weeks. This is a reorganization that has been driven by a great challenge to have —how to get the most impact with this many talented leaders," Harris and VandeHei wrote. "In the main, however, the purpose of these changes is continuity—we want to keep growing this company, and continue to dominate our turf in the way we have for six years."
In addition to changes, Harris and VandeHei announced a number of POLITICO's achievements, including record traffic to the website in August, September, October and November; advertising sales "capturing over 40 percent of the print market annually, and well more than 50 percent of the overall market"; and growth for POLITICO Pro, POLITICO Video, and the company's events business.
Today's episode of 'Things that frustrate the White House press corps' is a rerun: President Barack and Michelle Obama are sitting down with People magazine "for an exclusive, first post-election interview":
We want to let them know what's on our readers' minds: The economy? What Mrs. Obama and their daughters, Sasha and Malia, will wear to the inauguration? New tricks Bo has learned? Nothing is off limits! Let us know, and we'll bring the best of your queries to the White House.
Nothing is off limits, people. Nothing. Not even Bo.
And with that, the long, terrible slog of 2012 comes to an end...
Rush Limbaugh said on Friday that he blames himself for Sandra Fluke’s fame, as the recent Georgetown Law School graduate’s name is now being touted on the shortlist for Time Magazine’s annual Person of the Year.
“It’s not something I’m proud of here, folks, I must be blatantly honest. Nobody would know who she is if it weren’t for me,” Limbaugh said on his radio program, according to audio from DailyRushbo. “If anybody is going to be named Person of the Year on that basis, it ought to be me. It’s not an honor I would appreciate because it represents a little bit of a screw up.”
Brent Bozell, founder of the right-wing media watchdog Media Research Council, sent a letter to RNC chair Reince Priebus earlier this week promising to make conservative donors shun the Republican party if congressional leaders raise taxes.
"Reince, it pains me to say this, but if the Republican Party breaks its word to the American people and goes along with President Obama with tax increases, it will have betrayed conservatives for the final time,” wrote Bozell.
“I will make it my mission to ensure that every conservative donor to the Republican Party that I have worked with for the last three decades — and there are many and they have given tens of millions to Republican causes — gives not one penny more to the Republican Party or any member of Congress that votes for tax increases."
Republican Senators Lindsey Graham, Saxby Chambliss, and Bob Corker have all said that they no longer feel bound to Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge, but as NBC's Chuck Todd reminded us earlier this week, Senators are little more than pundits at this point. For now, taxes are up to the House.
Meanwhile, the RNC seems unperturbed by Bozell's threat.
"The Chairman has been very clear that taxes should not go up," RNC press secretary Kirsten Kukowski tells POLITICO.
Full details on Bozell's letter at The Hill.
Maybe it's an inevitable symptom of the media's collective post-election withdrawal, but there's been a surge in stories about media personalities running for political office. It's as if all the reporters and pundits woke up on Monday and, finding their readers gone, decided to play games amongst themselves.
Never mind that none of these folks actually intend to run for office.
Via POLITICO:
RedState co-founder Erick Erickson said Friday he won’t challenge Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss in a GOP primary.
“Were I to run for the Senate, it would be a terribly nasty campaign,” the well-known conservative blogger wrote on RedState. “It’d actually be really awesome, but it’d be really nasty. I have a seven year old, a soon to be four year old, and a wife who does not like being anywhere near a stage. I’m not putting my family through that when the best outcome would mean a sizable pay cut in pay and being away from my kids and wife all the time huddled in a pit vipers often surrounded by too many who viewed me as a useful instrument to their own advancement.”
Via The Daily Caller:
S.E. Cupp, the lone conservative voice on MSNBC’s afternoon show “The Cycle,” is being urged to run for mayor of New York City as a Republican, The Daily Caller has learned.
But Cupp tells TheDC that despite the urging from political operatives, she’s not interested in leaving her TV gig for Gracie Mansion.
“While I’m flattered by the interest, it is not something I’m considering at this time,” Cupp said Thursday in an email. “I have my hands full with print and broadcast commentary, and five or six jobs that I love.”
And, slightly more tongue-in-cheek, via The Observer:
Noted political heavyweight (or parody Twitter feed) @Wise_Kaplan has decided to nominate BuzzFeed writer McKay Coppins for Mayor of New York.
Mr. Coppins, who covers the political beat, looks like he is down–or at least going with it. He changed his Twitter avatar to a campaign poster.
From the table of contents for the new issue of n+1, the Brooklyn-based literary magazine:
Let Them Eat Print!
The magazine for men is not the Atlantic, which treats the internet like a woman and placates it, but Harper’s, which treats the internet like a woman and ignores it. Harper’s remains almost entirely male and for all practical purposes appears exclusively in print, where it pursues its passion for solving arithmetic problems, arranging newspaper clippings, and recounting logistically complicated vacations.
The full article is online here.
Incoming CNN president Jeff Zucker has sent a memo to the staff, promising to stay "committed to maintaining CNN’s core mission" as the network evolves under his leadership.
"I don’t have all the answers. No one does," he wrote. "But I hope that we can challenge each other to think even more broadly about what CNN is and can be, and to enhance this truly special and powerful brand. The opportunities are limitless."
The full memo, via a CNN staffer:
With Thursday’s announcement behind us, I wanted to communicate directly with you to say how excited I am to be part of CNN’s future. I have long been a consumer and admirer of CNN’s journalism. And I see endless potential for CNN across all of its platforms. As Phil Kent and I said yesterday, we are committed to maintaining CNN’s core mission. In fact, in my mind, CNN's values are more distinct and more important than ever in today's media landscape.
At the same time, we will have to continue to evolve. I don’t have all the answers. No one does. But I hope that we can challenge each other to think even more broadly about what CNN is and can be, and to enhance this truly special and powerful brand. The opportunities are limitless.
It is a great honor to join you on this journey. I look forward to getting to know the organization and the great people who work here.
Officially, I will begin work in late January, but I’ll start diving in soon. I’ll be travelling to meet with many of you in the weeks ahead. I can’t wait. Until then, thanks for the already warm welcome.
JEFF
If you're among the Gang of 500 or its periphery, you know by now that Ron Fournier, who is stepping down as editor-in-chief at National Journal, has published a very moving piece about his relationship with his son and his struggle with Asperger syndrome.
The piece, anchored by father-son visits to presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, has received a torrent of positive reception from politicos and mediaites alike — including former Gov. Jeb Bush, Meet The Press host David Gregory and New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker:
A beautiful story. ow.ly/fHZcg
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) November 30, 2012
“@ron_fournier: #lovethatboy bit.ly/SxEU7J” //A great piece by a loving dad. A must read.
— David Gregory (@davidgregory) November 30, 2012
Of fathers, sons and presidents. Hard to imagine any dad reading this moving story by @ron_fournier without tearing up. mobile.nationaljournal.com/magazine/how-t…
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) November 30, 2012
I agree entirely RT @eriksmithdc: Thanks for sharing this story, Ron. Every father can see himself in it @ron_fournierbit.ly/SxEU7J
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) November 30, 2012
"While Tyler was not my idealized son, he was the ideal one." The @ron_fournier line that choked me up. bit.ly/QtVB5N
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) November 30, 2012
Hope you can take time and read this moving piece by my friend @ron_fournier about his son. bit.ly/RnHVdS. #lovethatboy
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) November 30, 2012
Amazing essay from @ron_fournier. Will make you want to 1) cry 2) be a better father 3) party w/ Bush & Clinton. bit.ly/SxEU7J
— John Berman (@johnsberman) November 30, 2012
This @ron_fournier story "First,Family" is painful and inspiring nationaljournal.com/magazine/how-t…
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) November 30, 2012
@ron_fournier Hey, friend, that's a beautiful piece you and Tyler put together.
— Dan Balz (@danbalz) November 30, 2012
Boy, it sure is. Congrats. RT @danbalz: @ron_fournier Hey, friend, that's a beautiful piece you and Tyler put together.
— Brad Woodhouse (@woodhouseb) November 30, 2012
really glad I read this - How Two Presidents Helped Me Deal With Love, Guilt, and Fatherhood nationaljournal.com/magazine/how-t… @ron_fournier
— Joe Trippi (@JoeTrippi) November 30, 2012
Moving story about a father (@ron_fournier) with an unusual son, with lessons for all fathers with all sons. bit.ly/SxEU7J
— Brit Hume (@brithume) November 30, 2012
Read the story here.
Via Mike Allen:
On Dec. 1, after almost 10 years of writing editorials and six years of juggling editorial- and column-writing, Ruth Marcus is stepping down from the Washington Post editorial board to concentrate on writing her column. A longtime Marcus source writes: "She has a clear liberal voice and a kind of motherly persona that masks her incisive toughness." When that was shared with Marcus, she quipped: "My Kids might question my motherly persona."
