One of the more amusing yet horrifying things is how the New York Times Defense Force springs into action on twitter every time there's some legitimate criticism of something published in that hell 'zine. The defense force consists of other New York Times people and most other elite journalists. It's always easy to nutpick Twitter, as with blogs or the internet generally, and find mean and unfair (not the same!) criticisms among the serious and thoughtful ones, but rarely is the substance of the criticism addressed.
It's always that angry unhinged partisans who do NOT UNDERSTAND JOURNALISM are picking on a poor defenseless reporter at the most important newspaper in the world, being highly personal and insulting, and also too this journalist is a much better journalist than you will ever be, and BOTH SIDES are picking on her (if the person in question is a woman there are accusations that criticism is all misogynistic) so SHE MUST BE DOING SOMETHING right. Never is there any acknowledgment that, hey, you know, maybe the critics have a point.
And "we're the New York Times fuck you" is actually a valid response, but that's the kind of a response which requires a stoic condescending smile, not all of this goddamn whining. These are the most ridiculous people in the world and they rule our discourse Now I know who collected all of these supposed participation trophies their whole lives. Class privilege is a hell of a thing.
No one needs a newsless misleading puff piece about your friend Hope Hicks, Maggie. Literally no one in the country cares except your future book publishers. We get it. It's a beat sweetener. PR in exchange for information for your book. The tragic story of poor Hope Hicks who has to face a Congressional subpoena which is interrupting all the time she spends rolling around in her money while collecting her Murdoch salary. Truly Shakespearean.
Why they only respond this way to criticism from The Left is an exercise left for you, dear readers.
