I’ve been feeling that Memeorandum has a visible bias towards the right for a couple of years now, mostly because of what makes the top of the page and what hangs around longest - haven’t yet done a scientific survey to prove it though…

Yesterday, I was upset about how the whole thing was handled, but today I just realize that the Washington Post continues to build its own coffin, board by board and nail by nail.

There will be a place for Dave Weigel long after the wapo has closed up shop.

Orly’s defending Weigel? He’d better start practicing carving toothbrushes into shivs.

Note to anyone ever in contact with Orly—She does not do snark (well, not advertently anyway; this is from orlytaitzesq.com/?p=11949, but beware unless you’ve got good antivirus protection, as her site’s often hosted some nasties in the past):

I wonder what really happened. I read an article by Alex Pareene in Salon. He was saying that David Weigel was framed, that it was a witchhunt by the nutcases on the far left, because he was a libertarian, more balanced than all the lunatics on the left. I know a thing or two about being framed. Look at all the criminals that are being used to file perjured affidavits, look at all the corrupt judges. It is getting to be worse than in the Soviet union. How do I get in touch with him?

He gave me his e-mail address from Wash Independant, but it has probably changed. Together with the disclosure doctrine, it sounds like purging of the Cultural revolution. If even Libertarians are prosecuted, what is next? Tianamen square?

Orly

As I mention in the Rumper Room this is an interesting story in that we see how concerned the WaPo is about appearing to have liberal bias. They’re so concerned that they fire a Libertarian because he’s writing about movement conservatives, and that’s just too much of a stretch.

Any firings because a WaPo reporter came across as too conservative? Yes, Red State Ben got fired, but that was for plagiarism, not because his views were too over the top.

Also. If they hire the Stay Puft Marshmallow Pantload to replace Weigel, then I start a boycott.

Also, also. I note that one of the concerns was that Weigel called Ron Paul supporters “Paultards,” an epithet coined by Wonkette, I believe. I’m just wondering if I started calling people “Lambtards” would that come across as too derivative?

Orly’s defending Weigel?

Weigel gave Orly publicity and that’s her lifeblood.

I hope Weigel lands on his feet somewhere soon.  I miss him already.

I wonder what that guy JakeD2 who trolled every post of Weigel’s on WaPo is doing today.  He must find the time long.

“a witchhunt by the nutcases on the far left”?

Not really so much a defense as a cry for attention from poor beleaguered Orly who’s feeling left out of the news cycle.

I wonder what that guy JakeD2 who trolled every post of Weigel’s on WaPo is doing today. 

Call me Suzy Sunshine, but I think Weigel’s stock has soared as a result of this. Look at all the coverage. Hell, FNC is probably looking at him to pair with Beck.

Seriously, this whole episode sucks for a million reasons and I’ve been “between paychecks” for 33 years, so I’d never wish the same thing on Dave. But the good news is that he’s all over the major blogs now and a “made man” as a Free Agent. I hope it plays to his benefit, because he’s really, really good.

Yeah, Weigel will do fine.  Still sucks though; he was trained in the traditional manner (J-school and all that), and had apparently picked up archaic views on where good journalism was actually practiced these days.  Or so I assume, given how happy and almost gushing he was about WaPo hiring him after the news came out.  Hopefully he’ll be wiser without being bitter.

And I sure won’t miss tedious Right Now troll JakeD2.  I occasionally mocked him over there, in the guise of my nym with fewer e’s, but nothing abated his persistence.  Dayum, he sure could crap up a thread - at least Weigel troll Lonewacko (aka 24dotcomahead, or something like that) was less prolific and more fun to mock.  Apparently JakeD2 trolled other blogs before Weigel’s WaPo gig, and as Allan notes above, he may be settling in to infest Ezra Klein’s joint.  Fortunately I don’t regularly read comments there (are they worth it?).