Lock-step Agreement

Reader Richard M sent in this link to an article written by David Shipley regarding the function of the op-ed page of the Ny Times:

The Op-Ed editors tend to look for articles that cover subjects and make arguments that have not been articulated elsewhere in the editorial space. If the editorial page, for example, has a forceful, long-held view on a certain topic, we are more inclined to publish an Op-Ed that disagrees with that view. If you open the newspaper and find the editorial page and Op-Ed in lock step agreement or consistently writing on the same subject day after day, then we aren’t doing our job.

How odd then that the editorial page runs a plaintive request for Judith Miller’s freedom and the next day the op-ed page runs Bob Dole’s spirited defense of Miller’s position. It would seem that the gamut of opinion on the subject runs from Miller being a valiant journalist protecting the first amendment and her sources to Miller being a courageous reporter protecting her sources — and the first amendment.

I’m looking forward to further stirring justifications of Miller on the op-ed pages. Perhaps they could even get Judy herself to write one. After all, she hasn’t written one thing on the subject.

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