Steven Pearlstein writes about business and the economy for The Washington Post. His journalism career includes editing roles at The Post and Inc. magazine. He was founding publisher and editor of The Boston Observer, a monthly journal of liberal opinion. He got his start in journalism reporting for two New Hampshire newspapers -- the Concord Monitor and the Foster's Daily Democrat. Pearlstein has also worked as a television news reporter and a congressional staffer. His e-mail address is pearlsteins@washpost.com
His e-mail address is pearlsteins@washpost.com
This goes beyond a few wingers or WSJ Ed-pages nuts shooting their mouths off. This is about establishing the same false narrative right across the board. Doncha see, this guy's a "liberal"!!??
It's a bit like saying that this diary or this one represents the official ET position.
My point had nothing to do with the substance of the column, or with Jerome's objections to it. It had to do with proper attribution. That's all.
Actually, I think the fact that Pearlstein is allegedly a "liberal" business columnist does reinforce the point Jerome is trying to make more than it would if the piece had been written by the WP editorial board, which the kososphere continually lambastes for its conservatism.
For the record, I looked them up: The WP editorial board is here and the NY Times one is here, complete with little photos and bios. How nice.
The IHT doesn't have its editorial board listed online, but the masthead lists the editorial page editor as Serge Schmemann, and this page gives some info about how IHT editorials are produced.
And whatever the connections, the stormy present is right to call for correct identification. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
On a macro level, however, you could probably argue that the editors of the news sections are hired and promoted by the same people who hire & promote the editorial-page editors, so there is likely to be some similarity in their political leanings -- would a raving conservative editor-in-chief who works for a conservative publisher hire a raging liberal as Metro editor? I doubt it.
But on a practical level, no, the editorial board has no control over day-to-day reporting.
