Ed Klein is best known for his years as an editor at the New York Times Magazine, but his new book on Hillary Clinton rarely rises above tabloid journalism. Klein has been largely shunned by MSM outlets, which has caused him to cry “wolf” and some other folks to at least arch an eyebrow. Thankfully, attentive blog readers are finding the real story buried in the detritus (largely composed, incidentally, of decaying journalistic ethics primers; please watch your step).
Klein (or at least his publisher) seems to think this book will have some effect on the 2008 Presidential race. My prediction is that this book will fade out quickly; the best political water-cooler talk in 2008 will center around Howard Dean’s pratfalls, bumbling around the Clinton II campaign. Watching him botch the meticulous set design that covers up ultra-leftist slogans with carefully concocted nothingspeak, designed to appeal to moderates and soccer moms, will be the highlight of the next Presidential election cycle. Get a good seat early!
the worst mistake conservatives can make is to descend to the level of “journalism” upon which the left has built their raison d’être. what unnerves me even more than a ideological knee-jerk liberal is an ideological knee-jerk conservative. it heartens me that conservatives are largely self-regulating the promotion of this book. it was a given that liberals would shun it. it’s especially telling of conservatives’ character that most are not promoting it. Howard Kurtz, no conservative stalwart, touches on this in noting the Kelley book was given more press (no liberal blackout).