Then I Apologize To My Readers, Too

Dave Weigel apologizes to his readers - apparently he has been blasting Matt Drudge, Byron York, and "Paultards" over on Ezra Klein's Journolist, an off-the record lefties-only talking points club.  The Other McCain remains in his corner; Will Collier has read enough.

Let me just cite the "Paultard" bit of the Weigel apology.  First, Weigel repeats his own email:

- "It's all very amusing to me. Two hundred screaming Ron Paul fanatics couldn't get their man into the Fox News New Hampshire GOP debate, but Fox News is pumping around the clock to get Paultard Tea Party people on TV."

And the apology:

I stand by this, although I apologize if people find the word "Paultard" offensive. It was a neologism coined during the 2008 campaign to describe fanatical supporters of Paul -- I used it in this case to convey how Fox covered those supporters in 2008.

"If" people find it offensive?  C'mon, it is intended to be offensive.  Does anyone think the "tard" ending conveys fanaticism?  In fact, I will Boldly Guess it is drawn from "retard", as in "mental retard".  As to the notion that it is a neologism, well, it is true that no one was calling anyone a Paultard back on the playgrounds I recall from my youth, but so what? 

Right then, on to my apology - from time to time I have linked to Dave Weigel, prompting some commenters to complain that I am wasting time on a poseur libtard (Ooops!  Another apology point!  IF anyone finds that offensive.)  My bad - he is, and I was. 

LATE BREAKING: Dave Weigel has resigned.  I wonder if the WaPo will look for an actual conservative to replace him.

THEN I'LL SETTLE FOR SECOND BEST.  IF THERE IS ONE:  Brad DeLong defends Weigel as a misunderstood libertarian who is still "the best reporter covering the conservative movement".

Hmmph.  Bobby Jindal was mooted as a VP possibility back in 2008, is a rising star, and has been visible in leading Louisana's response to the gulf oil spill disaster.  So how many posts on Jindal has "the best reporter covering the conservative movement" delivered in the last few months while scrambling for new angles?  That didn't take long - none.

Or here is Weigel on NJ rising star, Gov. Chris Christie:

Poll: New Jersey likes Chris Christie, splits on whether he's a 'leader' or a 'bully'

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) is winning the political press's attention for his leadership in the Gulf Coast, but Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) has, not so quietly, become probably the biggest gubernatorial hero of the right. YouTube clips (some collected by Christie's own office) that show him lighting into Democrats, teachers' unions, and journalists critical of his style.

"I'm inspired by what Governor Christie said about the teachers unions in New Jersey," economist John Taylor said last night, accepting a Bradley Prize, a stamp of approval for conservative intellectuals. "He called them bullies. 'They punch you, I punch them.'"

The latest Quinnipiac Poll, however, shows that Christie's confrontations, coupled with a steady drumbeat of criticism from unions, have voters split on whether he's doing a good job and whether he's a "bully" -- that is, by and large, they oppose the cuts he's campaigning for.

Gee, a Republican governor in a long time blue state is not universally beloved.  Let's press on:

If you're not keeping tabs on this, here's the latest quasi-viral Christie video, from a town hall meeting where he informs voters that the "day of reckoning" has come. Without being too glib about the comparison, it really is a bizzarro version of an Obama town hall in which the president takes aim at Republicans and corporate America.

So if you are an angry New Jersey voter who thinks taxes are too high and the public sector is out of control, you are in "bizarro" world? 

Weigel's role was to provide daily reassurance to libs that no matter the deficiencies of their own side, the other guys were worse.  I am sure that in that role he may have been "the best".

Meanwhile, I need to start reading the second-best reporter covering the right wing.

Comments

[Now, who and what is the external power, or need there be one?]

This jourolist is a fifth column. Not everything about it fits, but the secrecy is subversive and its occupationally apt.
===================

[centralcal]

Weigel apologizes to his readers? He has readers?

[JadedByPolitcs]

I gratefully accept your apology for linking to the libtard and I REFUSE to apologize for that "neologism:....btw if I hit enough playgrounds and utilize the LIBTARD reference perhaps within a decade or two it will indeed no longer be a NEOLOGISM it will be a FACT, though to Conservative children it already is....LOL!

I find it hilarious that ANYONE finds reporters in the Post to be kind to Conservatives at all. They have moved from left to hardleft in their "Republican" brand of idiot!

[Rick Ballard]

Didn't he get his start as a stringer for the Athol Voice (an NYT subsidiary)?

[Captain Hate]

Weigel apologizes to his readers? He has readers?

Probably some people inadvertantly click on his site thinking there might be some link to pornstar Teri Weigel.

[Cecil Turner]

It's beyond hilarious that this harmless bit caused him to explode and resulted in continuing journolist leakages that reveal his agenda-driven advocacy masquerading as coverage. I particularly liked: “my reporting, I think, stands for itself.” Yes, it probably does . . . but it's nice to have a little background nonetheless.

I wonder if the JournoList folks ought to have a trademark? Perhaps a little KK superscript in their byline?

[Danube of Thought]

“my reporting, I think, stands for itself.”

WTF does that mean?

[moran]

@Danube, it's the same line of thought that allowed Helen Thomas to carry her vitrol.

[bgates]

My bad - he is, and I was.

Does this mean you're swearing off the rest of the juiceboxers?

[Mitch H.]

OK, I will cop to having giggled at "Paultard", especially when I was campaigning for McCain in 2008. But generally I used "Ronulian" because the former is, well, kind of obnoxious, and you don't win friends by being needlessly pejorative.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Cap'n-

I think you're on to something there.

[daddy]

H/T DoT,

Ann Althouse does a fine smackdown of the creep ">http://althouse.blogspot.com/2010/06/burn-davey-burn-self-immolation-of.html"> here.

"Having shown us his vivid hostility to the conservatives he was supposed to explain to us, we no longer have any reason to read him." Hope that bit of advice sticks.

[Captain Hate]

Ace is pounding this tool like he owes him money too..

[centralcal]

Aaww - he resigned.

[Soylent Obamacare]

But generally I used "Ronulian" because the former is, well, kind of obnoxious, and you don't win friends by being needlessly pejorative.

My fave is "Paul-istinian", although "Paulbot" never fails to amuse me as well.

For daily usage I typically fall back on some variant of "f*cking idiot."

[Jane]

Why does anyone care about Wiegel? Some where along the line I missed his importance.

[Clarice]

Jane, I suppose because in a way (slightly worse than David Brooks) the media keeps hiring anti-conservative morons to report to their anti-conservative moron readers in a perfectly prejudiced way what the conservatives are thinking/doing so as to insure they are not swayed to jump ship.

And we don't like it,

Plus, there's something really satisfying about watching a self-important twit cut his own throat. And then there's the delicious aspect that he was done in my folks he considered his buddies on Journolist.

[centralcal]

Ooooh, a preview of Clarice's Pieces!!!

Kidding aside, I agree with everything you wrote. McChrystal did himself in with a reporter. Weigel with Journolist. Who will the 3rd liberal suicide be? (Trouble always comes in threes, doesn't it?)

[Clarice]

Thanks, cc..but CP went to bed before the Weigel flap which aside from IT fanatics is probably of minimal interest.

[Porchlight]

Didn't Journolist people claim that Journolist was disbanded long ago when the first flap about it emerged? I can't remember. Am I mixing it up with Townhall? Not Townhall.com the righty site but Townhall the lefty listserv that I think predates Journolist, or was the prequel to it, or something.

Clearly I can't keep my nutroots talking points listservs talking points straight.

[Porchlight]

I wish Topsecretk9 would drop by. Her take on Ezra & pals is always so scrumptious and she remembers all the fun details.

[centralcal]

I loved this headline from a blogger I had never heard of: "Pop goes the Weigel."

Such a nice boy. He went to a HuffPo party last night and got introduced for the first time to one of the 2 FishbowlDC bloggers who first broke his emails - and refused to shake her hand! Today, after resigning, he headed to straight to HuffPo offices to cry on their shoulders (and drop off his resume?).

[Soylent Obamacare]

Weigel with Journolist.

Hoisted with his own Paultard, you might say.

Or you might not.

[centralcal]

No more Journolist - see LUN

[Clarice]

So==are you all writing to the Post to suggest me as an authentic replacement? What are friends for?

[centralcal]

That's a tough one, Clarice. I like you too much to try and ship you off to the WaPo. Of course, you would greatly increase their readership, so, thinking, thinking.....

[Clarice]

HEH

[Neo]

For quite some time now, I’ve been asking ..
“who are Jon and Kate and why should I care ?”

The same goes for Dave Weigel.

[narciso]

Oh I can't stand them, they popped on my screen, about a year ago, they turned out to be cretinous frauds, at one point, i feel sorry for the kids though

[Clarice]

Well, there is THAT, Neo.

A lot of the things we spend time on are no more significant than Cameron Diaz' view of the world in reality.

[centralcal]

That was my first reaction, too Neo. But, now, I am finding this highly entertaining. We learn from Ezra (the creator of JournoList) that Tucker Carlson had been trying really hard to get on the list (they declined to add him). Now, the first leak wasn't to Tucker's Daily Caller, but to Mediabistro's FishBowl DC. Tucker got additional leaks after that.

A LEAKER in JournoList! Oh, the horror! Ezra is quickly trying to delete, erase, and wipe clean his liberal media forum. Why is that I wonder? Has the leaker leaked more about others? Well, seems like some folks are sweating bullets that may be the case.

I love the smell of liberal fear in the afternoon.

[narciso]

The journolist is overrated, they say the same things anyways on the same topics, usually Obama isn't left enough, any opposition to him, is evil or ignorant,

[hit and run]

Clarice:
are you all writing to the Post to suggest me as an authentic replacement?

Yes,absolutely. Then again,I've been bugging them for months to have Ann replace Robin Givhan,so I assume they're quite ignoring me at this point.

[Clarice]

I'd assume that, too, if I were you, hit.
*sigh* They don't know what they're missing.

Perhaps you could do a weekly Beer and Chainsaw column .

[Cecil Turner]

I loved this from Politico:

It was ironic, in a way, that it would be the Daily Caller that published e-mails from Journolist. A few weeks ago, its editor, Tucker Carlson, asked if he could join the list. After asking other members, I said no, that the rules had worked so far to protect people, and the members weren't comfortable changing them.

Yeah, ironic that he could've sworn Tucker to secrecy, and instead is now trying to blame him for violating an agreement he's not a party to. But for true irony, we have to go to Weigel himself in a comment section:

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to return to my rewarding job and large circle of friends.

Looks like Dan Riehl pegged that one: buy a dog.

[hit and run]

"Weigel's finest email rants do not excite. They do not inform. They don't even really inspire."
--stuff Ezra http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=01&year=2008&base_name=obamas_gift>(almost) said.

[Jane says obamasucks]

I need an address to write to the WP and tell them Feldman is their gal.

I dunno tho, it's a pretty ugly paper.

[hit and run]

VP/GM WaPo Digital: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/contactus/email_genmanager.html>Goli Sheikholeslami

Executive Editor: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/marcus+brauchli/>Marcus W. Brauchli

Managing Editor: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/raju+narisetti/>Raju Narisetti

Managing Editor:http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/liz+spayd/>Elizabeth Spayd

Those are online submission pages,not email addresses. If you were me,you would open in a new tab,rather than just click the line.

[Clarice]

HEH!

[hit and run]

Goli Sheikholeslami (Goli is the girl):

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/04/23/business/23ecom.600.jpg>

Marcus W. Baruchli:

http://assets.portfolio.com/images/site/editorial/News/2008/06/23-marcus-brauchli-large.jpg>

Raju Narisetti:

http://business.in.com/media/images/2009/Jun/img_2762_raju_narisetti_sj_280x210.jpg>

Elizabeth Spayd:

http://www.mije.org/files/u426/Liz.jpg>

I am *NOT* going to make any jokes about Elizabeth having been spayed.

[VIMH: You just did!]
That's your evil mind!

[VIMH: I *AM* your mind]
Hey!!! I'll have you know,she's the only one whose name doesn't end in a vowel...and...Ooooh,look,a squirrel!

[Walter Sobchak]

"I wonder if the WaPo will look for an actual conservative to replace him."

They may, but could the recognize one if they found one?

The short answer is no, they cannot. They are all part of the liberal borg. They are incapable of recognizing, understanding or communicating a thought that the borg would find to be uncomfortable.

If Tucker Carlson, wants access to the journolist, and it would be fascinating to see the borg's ruminations, the best and easiest way to get it would be by hacking. I recommend checking the WaPo IT department. Surely, there is someone there who can tap a feed for you, in exchange for a small payment. On the other hand it is not a big upside. Eventually they belch out their talking points and you will have them by mid morning from multiple sources.

[Clarice]

At first I missed the connection, hit. I thought you were casting for another Star Wars bar scene.

[narciso]

One would have thought Marcus would be happier
now that he doesn't have to worry about Rupert, then again the Journal is still eating
the Post's lunch

[Jane says obamasucks]

So which one do I write? Are you sure you want this Clarice, it is a really dreadful paper. (I guess that is like asking me if I would do a talk show on NPR)

[hit and run]

If you're asking to write just one,Jane...you seem to be copping out.

Write them all.

Oh and BTW...

Jane for NPR an show!!! http://help.npr.org/npr/includes/customer/npr/custforms/contactus.aspx>Here!!!

[centralcal]

I just read the WaPo's Ombudsman's apologia. Oh, blech! Let's find a token conservative to shush all this internet criticism and scrutiny - I am sure that will be the ticket!

My happiest day will be when the Waste of New York Times and the Washington toiletbowl Post are old memories.

Now, seriously, God protect and look over Dick Cheney.

[narciso]

That Alexander, the one who furthered the slander of the tea party right

[Ann Squaredance]

narciso:

You can watch Sarah Palin's speech at CSU: here
at 8:30 pacific time.

[Ann Squaredance]

If you have problems with that site, narciso, go to: http://www.therightscoop.com/

It hasn't started yet but the live feed is up.