Now, that's Rich!

SUNDAY OPINION: "Has a 'Katrina Moment' Arrived? Obama still lags behind America's populist rage," by Frank Rich, New York Times, 22 March 2009.

Sean and I knew we would have a transition on the readership to go along with Obama's transition. A lot of readers/commentators only knew me through a GOP White House, and we knew a good chunk wouldn't be able to stay around for a Dem one--it just wouldn't work.

So we made a conscious decision to process them as they signaled their discomfort. In the end, the numbers were far smaller than we expected (there is always some come-and-go on the site and especially with a new book), and we were sad to see some go, but the needs of the site rule.

Unfortunately, we can't do the same time with the opinion pages of the NYT, WSJ, WAPO, etc. Some columns were okay when it was Bush, but then they just seem out of touch with Obama, like the line-ups desperately need to change.

Frank Rich, to me, is a prime example of this. Interesting enough at first with Bush, but now you just realize he's like that with everyone all the time, and it gets boring ("Really, we've already reached the 'Katrina' moment X weeks in?").

I don't mind criticism of Obama. I just think the major papers should actively rejigger with a changed political landscape, because the lag is noticeable and bad.

Point is, the conversation always changes, and you want the right mix, whether it's your paper or the blog. Some churn is always healthy and needed, as is some consistency, but some people really lose their utility and you have to judge that without emotion and move them along.

Comments

[Mike Russell]

Gotta disagree with you on this one Tom. I love everything about Obama: the symbolism of the first (1/2) black President, his huge intelligence & political skill, his push for Green Energy, Education & Health Care reform -- everything EXCEPT his Wall Street bail-out policy, which is profoundly disappointing verging on absolutely infuriating. When I see the auto CEOs raked over the coals for asking for 1/10th the money that AIG alone has been given with virtually no strings attached, I think "Hey, these may be f*cked companies, but at least they make something!" What has Wall Street done, except steal half my life savings and a trillion or two of my tax dollars besides? Obama just seems to have a huge blind spot here that's leading him down, not just the wrong PR path, but the wrong policy path.

[stuart abrams]

We seem to have developed a partisanship industry in this country. The shrillness on both the left and the right is out of control. The attacks on Obama coming from people like Rich, Krugman, and even the MSNBC and Daily Kos folks, are frequently as intense as those coming from the right. I think the reason for this is simple: bipartisanship is bad for their business.

[Tom Barnett]

Mike, I'm not sure what you disagreed with here.

[vanderleun]

I think Krugman's both miffed and angling for the next Sec. Treas. slot at the same time. The perfect crowning touch for the resume.

[Mark in Texas]

I believe that you are over thinking this. Frank Rich is just in the part of the two year electoral cycle where journalists try to regain their credibility after shamelessly flacking for Democrats during the months right before an election. Articles like this just make his stats look better when he is accused of bias he can point to articles like this to demonstrate n articles critical of Democrats to m articles critical of Republicans.

You will only be disappointed in writers like Frank Rich if you respect them or if you think that they act in good faith.