The Worst Washington Post Ombudsman of All Time: Patrick Pexton
The competition was fierce, but a veritable Gröfaz of Washington Post ombudscreatures is Patrick Pexton.
David Weigel does the intellectual garbage collection:
Jennifer Rubin: Former Washington Post ombudsman Patrick Pexton says she should go: The Internet loves how Pexton closes out, by asking the new management to sack an opinion blogger…. [But] in his ombud days, Pexton actually defended Rubin's role whenever she came under fire…. If he found Rubin so objectionable, why didn't he say anything when his opinion mattered? I don't think l'esprit de l'escalier is the best motto for an ombud.
A longer quote:
Jennifer Rubin: Former Washington Post ombudsman Patrick Pexton says she should go: The Internet loves how Pexton closes out, by asking the new management to sack an opinion blogger…. [But] in his ombud days, Pexton actually defended Rubin's role whenever she came under fire. In November 2011, when Rubin tweeted a link to a pretty xenophobic piece by Rachel Abrams, Pexton averred that the blogger shouldn't have done that, but defended her right to.
It’s also worth noting that the rules of objectivity that apply to editors, reporters and bloggers in The Post newsroom do not apply to Post opinion bloggers and columnists. Post opinion writers are given greater leeway to say what they want. That’s how it should be. If the opinion section were too politically correct, it’d be dull.
This was actually Pexton's second foray into Rubinalia. Earlier in 2011 he'd fielded questions about Rubin's failure to correct an item that suggested Islamic links to terrorism in Norway. Pexton told readers that Rubin was observing a religious holiday, and thus couldn't update in a hurry. He proceeded to lecture them.
Rubin was hired by Fred Hiatt, editorial page editor of The Post, to be an opinion blogger who would appeal to conservatives and people who want to follow conservative politics. She does. She is the most prolific opinion blogger at The Post…. She has excellent sources in the House and Senate leadership… lots of Republicans read her and trust her… forceful and unrepentant, yet not unreasonable. She is not an ogre or a racist. And she does not deserve some of the calumny she got.
We all change our minds, and sure, Pexton's new take on Rubin factors in her 2012 coverage, which was bullish on Romney beyond the bounds of logic. But if he found Rubin so objectionable, why didn't he say anything when his opinion mattered? I don't think l'esprit de l'escalier is the best motto for an ombud.
Why oh why can't we have a better press corps?
