"You idiots!" says Paul Krugman to the WaPo for losing Ezra Klein

[CTyankee]

Ezra Klein of Wonkblog is leaving the Washington Post. Not news, exactly — the impending move has been all over the blogs for a while. But now it’s official. And may I say respectfully to the Post: You idiots!

You see, Ezra and his team filled a huge gap. That gap exists throughout the news media, although the Times has, I believe, largely closed it in other ways. But it was especially severe at the Post.

Here’s the problem: When you’re covering policy, the usual tools of journalism — cultivating sources, pounding the pavement, pulling out the Rolodex — just won’t cut it. You have to have people who actually understand the policy issues — people who can pound a spreadsheet, or whose Rolodex includes academic experts as well as DC flacks.

Otherwise what you get at best is he-said-she-said reporting — what I mocked many years ago as responding to claims that the earth is flat with the headline “Views differ on shape of planet.” Or, even worse, you rely on people who seem like authority figures because of their style or their official position, but are in reality just guys with an agenda, and often completely untrustworthy.

more at link: http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/the-washington-post-is-de-kleining/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Opinion&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=0

I am so loving Dr. K today!

[Cicada]

1. Wonkblog is best - but Klein is replaceable

Wonkblog is the best journalism in the US, but it's good because of their approach, to report honestly instead of being afraid of the right, so it should be easy to replace Klein - at a small fraction of his asking price. Sarah Kliff who will stay, is already better than Klein.

[CTyankee]

2. I like Ezra. He pushes back on Joe Scarborough when he's on MJ...

so I always listen to what he has to say...

[PDittie]

3. Ezra wanted an 8 figure investment from Bezos

to start his new venture. Considering what it will probably be worth in 5 years (compared to what the WaPo will be worth), Bezos probably choked.

[CTyankee]

4. Interesting. But does this indicate that Krugman is clueless?

n/t

[PDittie]

6. Not IMO whatsoever

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. The Right thinks it can trick America into believing it is more right-wing leaning than it is....

They buy up media and write biased op-eds and argue right-winger to right-winger. (Their idea of a "debate" is pitting Glenn Beck against Sean Hannity with O'Reilly as the moderator.)

Meanwhile America ignores them.

There was a time when the public depended on the media for their point of view.

We now have the Internet.

We know the Right is a tiny minority representing every foul thought and deed one can imagine.

[Chathamization]

7. Krugman's representation of The Washington Post is misleading at best

Krugman: "The Post — I really don’t think I’m being unfair here — has been particularly guilty of the latter sin. Colin Powell says Iraq is building WMD — well, that settles it, doesn’t it?"

Here are some of the articles that appeared in The Post during the run-up to the Iraqi war: "Bush Clings to Dubious Allegations About Iraq," "U.N. Finds No Proof of Nuclear Program; IAEA Unable to Verify U.S. Claims," "Observers: Evidence for War Lacking; Report Against Iraq Holds Little That's New," "Evidence on Iraq Challenged; Experts Question If Tubes Were Meant for Weapons Program."

Certainly, they also ran their share of articles parroting administration claims (as almost every large new organization did at the time), but I'd argue they were one of the better outlets at the time. If I remember right, they did a better job at going after administration claims than the New York Times did.

[DonCoquixote]

8. as much as I dislike Hillary

There is one thing she can do that would change me cat quick,
a pledge to put Krugman in charge of the treasury,

AND

A promise to not only keep the third way hacks out of his way, but to actively support him when they attack him.

Of course, I might as well be wishing for a billion dollars and world peace.

[anasv]

9. “Views differ on shape of planet.”

ha ha ha ha ha ha

[CTyankee]

10. Funny how much like him I think (and many here do also)...

he sounds like a DUer!