The blogs are a twitter with Ross Douthat’s ascension to the thone of opinionating at the New York Times. I think the Times made a terrific choice and I’m thrilled for Ross. Oh, it seems like only yesterday when I first met Ross at a reading of Privelege at the Court House Olson Books in Arlington. I attended at the invitation of Ross’ longtime housemate and frequent collaborator Reihan Salam, who knows everybody. I’ve always thought of Reihan as the manic near-omniscient yin to Ross’s sober besweatered yang. Not to take anything away from Ross, but I’ve always seen Reihan as the ideas man in the Ross ‘n Reihan operation. Reihan will drop more ideas in ten minutes of conversation than many people will entertain in a lifetime. I’ve always thought the carnival of erudition that is Reihan’s mind deserves a more prominent showcase, which is why I dearly hope the Atlantic will do the natural thing and hand Ross’s blog over to Reihan. The blog would be sort of the same but completely different all at the same time.
Will Wilkinson
The Sweet Release of Reason
A refreshing voice for the Gray Lady. It makes more sense than Kristol and one hopes that there will be more.
Or, maybe they could give it to you.
“Carnival of erudition”
A nicely turned phrase, that.
I like Ross's writing a lot. I read it all the time. But isn't he kind of similar to David Brooks? Not a clone, mind you. But the whole “reformist” thing.
Reihan is the brains behind the operation anyway.
“atwitter“
I mean, yeah, they're a-twitterin' too. But that's a different adjective.
Reihan can't write so well. Like Bowra.
Reihan can't write so well. Like Bowra.