The Poltico has a
story about a listerserv on which writers for mainstream
outlets like the New York Times, Newsweek,
Politico, and the New Yorker compare notes with
contributors to explicitly liberal publications like the
Nation, the American Prospect, Huffington
Post, and the New Republic. On the one hand, it
confirms that a lot of putatively objective reporters share
political views with -- and in some cases, see themselves as
being on the same team as -- American Prospect-style
liberals. But that's no surprise, is it? Also, the secrecy
surrounding JournoList is a little creepy.
Having said that, I don't really find it all that bizarre that
people who agree with each other or have things in common would
chat on a listserv. Nor do I think it's all that outrageous that
mainstream reporters are interested in what active liberals have
to say, since liberals are running the country right now. I'd
probably join. To me, the takeaways are 1.) Why doesn't the right
have anything comparable? and 2.) If we did, would anyone from
Newsweek or the New Yorker care?