Think you've put your finger on the Times' reasoning, Rick. It's not about increasing readership or web pages viewed, or adding "balance;" it's about pandering to conservative advertisers and giving Times' ad salespeople a talking point for their sales presentations.

I'd be surprised if the Times didn't add more "conservatives" to their stable for exactly this reason.

Posted at December 31, 2007 7:19 AM in response to Neocon Celeb Scribbler Bill Kristol Gets NY Times Column

For what is essentially a "he said, she said" debate, the original post and all comments are remarkably free of any links to anything, including the original Novak column.

I realize that all posters and commentors here are pure as the driven snow and wouldn't dare think of making stuff up or shading anything to their accidental advantage, however, it's a truism that many times statements by politicians and their staff might possibly be subject to more than one interpretation. That's why having access to the originals is so potentially useful.

Purely in the interests of being potentially useful, here are some links for those for whom actually knowing what they're talking about might be interesting from time to time.

The original Novak article: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=23467

The Clinton response: http://facts.hillaryhub.com/archive/?id=4261

The David Ploufe statement on behalf of Obama: http://www.barackobama.com/2007/11/17/plouffe_obama_will_fight_back.php

Couldn't find the Silverstein post, article, whatever, on this particular issue. Perhaps it was written on the wind.

Posted at November 24, 2007 6:50 PM in response to Why is Obama in Bed with Karl Rove?

AFP reports Bhutto has been placed under house arrest and 6,000 troops have been deployed to block the demonstration she called for. Politically, probably the best thing that could have happened to her.

Not many good options in Pakistan.

Posted at November 8, 2007 9:17 PM in response to Musharraf Must Go

Looks like the moral of this story is, "don't feed the trolls." On the other hand, it is fun in a sick kind of way to watch them flop around.

Posted at November 4, 2007 9:43 PM in response to Harvard Prof Says All Criticism of Lobby Is Anti-Semitism

Do you know how much money a billion dollars is?

The way the dollar's going south, soon probably just enough to buy a loaf of bread.

Posted at October 7, 2007 10:05 AM in response to Glimmer of Hope for US Policy Towards Iraq and Iran

In retrospect, Bush appears to have been everyone's useful fool. What a legacy.

Posted at October 7, 2007 9:41 AM in response to The Passion of Kanan Makiya

It's not that Howard is verbose, Sean. He just happens to be the fastest typist in North America and has the irritating habit of mastering details and nuance that drives his opponents nuts. If he swore off blogs and turned his talents to writing for pay, he could turn out a Miss Marple a day and make a fortune. (Don't tell him I said so.)

As for the rants, hey guy, it's the tubes. Get used to it.

Posted at October 1, 2007 8:58 PM in response to The Dead Children of Palestine

I could be wrong, but one (usually unstated) goal of school privatization that is seldom mentioned -- and from which it derives a great deal of its support from the right -- is that it often works out to be a clever way to subvert integration. Wonder what the numbers are on that?

Posted at July 9, 2007 6:27 PM in response to In Which I Outsource to Prof. Martin Carnoy

Actually, MY Congressman (Adrian Smith, NE-03) is far worse than Congress. And I don't think all that much of Congress.

Posted at July 9, 2007 5:59 PM in response to In Which I Outsource to Prof. Martin Carnoy

What a great observation, Jim! Along with the main post, this nearly says it all for the strange position we've stumbled into as a nation and as a society. Corporations' relative immunity from limitations in the US seems to be a common thread in many of the problems we face. Could be the subject for a new post.

Posted at July 7, 2007 8:30 AM in response to Invasion of the Body Snatchers: Another Good Journalist Lost, Along With The Wall Street Journal