BloggeRhythms

New York Times readership began while still in high school, back in the 50’s. The paper always in our home, though admittedly when younger significant time spent on sports, plenty of “news” was absorbed as well.

During my twenties, for whatever reason, the Sunday puzzle became a ritual, completion in ink a habitual challenge for years and years to come. Then one Sunday morning, poolside in Great Neck in 1986, content by correspondent Richard L. Berke leaned so far left, the entire paper was shredded, retaining only the magazine and its puzzle.

The subscription maintained for some time afterward, a Sunday morning routine was repeated weekly: Remove the magazine, shred the rest of the paper (sometimes peeking at sports), read William Safire’s “On Language" column, complete the puzzle.   

Then just yesterday Michael Goodwin headed his column in the New York Post "Leftists are in firm control at The New York Times “

He writes, "In a lecture at Hillsdale College last year about the erosion of standards at The New York Times, I borrowed a memorable exchange from Ernest Hemingway’s novel “The Sun Also Rises.”

“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asks. “Two ways,” Mike responds. “Gradually and then suddenly.”

“For the Times, “suddenly” has arrived. Its standards are now bankrupt.

“The revolt of the paper’s newsroom over the publication of Sen. Tom Cotton’s op-ed and the craven surrender of management marks the end of any semblance of basic fairness. The gradual metamorphosis of the Times from a great newspaper into a leftist propaganda sheet is complete.

“Stick a fork in the Gray Lady.

“Her obituary is a sad day and not just for journalism. Because the Times is a singularly powerful institution in terms of shaping public opinion, its cult of conformity is a dark day for America.”

The objective here not being any particular criticism of Mr. Goodwin, an extremely perceptive, insightful, generally well-informed columnist, but the question does arise as to how a position firmly established 34 years ago seems "sudden" in any context whatsoever.

In fact, over those past 34 years all anyone desiring knowledge regarding political leanings of the Times need do was open the publication to any page and read it.  

After completing Mr. Goodwin’s article, a confirmation search was done regarding Richard L. Berke, results as follows:

“A longtime correspondent and editor at The New York Times, from 1986 to 2013. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia.

“Oct. 24, 2013 Richard L. Berke, a longtime political correspondent and senior editor at The New York Times, was appointed executive editor of Politico on Thursday, in what Politico described as a testament to its influence and growth.

“Mr. Berke joined The Times in 1986 as a Washington bureau reporter and editor. He covered four consecutive presidential campaigns and held one of the highest-profile reporting posts at the newspaper, national political correspondent.

“In 2005, after a period as Washington editor, he moved to New York and joined the senior leadership of The Times; for several years, he was the assistant managing editor who helped produce the front page each weekday. More recently, he was national editor; an assistant managing editor with oversight of features and politics; and, for the last eight months, senior editor and director of video content development.”

A Google search produced the following regarding Politico.

“Is Politico a liberal website?

“Politico is a leftist website. In the old days we would've called them a "liberal rag" like the New York Times. Anyone with any real sense of political acumen would peg POLITICO as definitely leftist in their political orientation after even a cursory scan of their articles.”

As the old saying goes, you just can’t make this stuff up.

That’s it for today folks.

Adios