Let's Mail Journalist Spencer Ackerman Envelopes of Money!

Spencer Ackerman boosts his reputation by quitting the New Republic. Wonkette reports:

Spencer Ackerman Quits 'The New Republic' -- Observers Shocked That He Was Still There - Wonkette: Ace national security journo Spencer Ackerman quit his editing gig at The New Republic this week, announcing it officially with a tiny little note on his brand new, aptly titled blog. Considering that we’d been told it would happen a month ago, the lack of shock echoing throughout the DC mediasphere is hardly surprising. Why’d Spencer leave?

The ostensible reason for my release concerns my relationship with Franklin Foer and the magazine’s other editors. However, the irreconcilable ideological differences between myself and the top editors at the magazine have been clear to me for months now, and clear to them as well.

We were gonna do one of those “Translated: Marty Peretz is f------ nuts” jokes, but he pretty much did just come out and say it, didn’t he.

I have a question: How can I send Spencer Ackerman two years' worth of New Republic subscription fees? It would definitely be worth it. Ackerman is very good.

Comments

[howard]

second!

[jfaberuiuc]

Matt Yglesias says that Ackerman has a piece coming out in the American Prospect, and hinted in comments at his own blog that there might be a future link there between SA and the TAP media borg...

[Anderson]

I just e-mailed TNR last week to explain that, however much I enjoyed reading Spencer Ackerman or James Wood, I couldn't renew a magazine that carries Marty Peretz and Lee Siegel.

Evidently I made a righter choice than I knew.

[Spencer]

Brad, you are incredibly, incredibly kind, as is Anderson. Thanks very much for this heartwarming post. Anyone who wants to send me envelopes of cash can e-mail me for my address at spencerackerman-at-gmail-dot-com.

[jerry]

You can also paypal him directly at that address (though I think you will give a cut of that to paypal.)

[Spencer]

(Although I should add I didn't quit. And Howard, sorry I missed your comment; thanks very much.)

[anne]

Spencer, we are beset these days by nuttiness and beyond. but all will be well for you.

[anne]

http://maxspeak.org/mt/archives/002624.html

October 20, 2006

SPENCER FOR HIRE

Somebody give this guy a job. In fact, Mayor Fenty should set up a new CETA program to deal with the pocket of concentrated unemployment at Yglesias' house. Now we know why he's so into The Wire. Let's hope they don't succumb to child-bearing out of wedlock, giving rise to a new generation of unemployed secular progressives.

[WatchfulBabbler]

Figures that TNR would get rid of one of its genuinely excellent up-and-comers in favor of its deep ranks of third- and fourth-rate foreign policy hacks. I haven't subscribed to TNR for some years, but now I have a reason to move it off my "newsstand buy" list. In any case, TNR's loss is blogtopia's gain.

It sounds like Ackerman was summarily fired for his "Too Hot for TNR" blog, for reasons that utterly elude me, especially given the fact that Lee Siegel remains in the penalty box rather than tossed off the team. Peretz proudly admitted the other day to neither knowing what YouTube is or even if Xerox is even still in business(!), so the wild world of the Intartubes probably scares him to no end, especially when the Tubes have been commandeered by a decidedly heterodox member of TNR's foreign policy commentariat. (I note that TNR has also changed Ackerman's bio and now lists him as a correspondent for TAP.)

In any case, fly your freak flag, Spencer Ackerman. Fly your freak flag high.

[Nan]

This makes sense to me. TNR is owned by 3 neocons. Put yourselves in their shoes. Why should they bankroll genuine liberal writers?

[WatchfulBabbler]

Nan -- Because their readership is still decidedly liberal, as evinced by the small-scale revolt going on in their subscriber-only comments section. I suspect that TNR will eventually, and gurdgingly, provide a modified limited hangout on the matter, and probably end up sowing some more ill-will amongst its subscriber base along the way.

[tomboy]

I recently met a nice woman who works at TNR. We spoke a bit about sock puppetry, Ann Coulter defenders, blogofascism, and the other recent developments at Joe Lieberman weekly. I told her I currently subscribe to the American Prospect. She handled the meeting with good humor.

She suggested that I should get a subscription to her magazine because of the wide variety of opinions at TNR. She said that any viewpoint is tolerated at TNR, as long as the writer is talented and the point is well argued, using Andy Sullivan as Example A. She then pointed out the one exception to this rule: Israel. I still am a bit unsure what exactly she meant.

I said at the time that I really liked reading Spencer Ackerman on the TNR website, when his columns are avaliable. I don't think I'll be getting that subscription anytime soon.