James Bennet resigns as editor of New York Times editorial page

[babylonsister]

https://www.axios.com/james-bennet-new-york-times-tom-cotton-a9f3d266-7917-45c9-adf3-557b5c51e12c.html

13 mins ago - Economy & Business
James Bennet resigns as editor of New York Times editorial page
Ursula Perano


James Bennet has resigned as editor of the New York Times' editorial page, the paper announced Sunday.

Why it matters: Bennet had been under fire for green-lighting an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) that called on President Trump to "send in the troops" in order to quell violent protests over the death of George Floyd. Times employees organized a protest on social media and claimed that publishing the op-ed put black staff in danger.

Bennet did not personally read the op-ed before publication, but put out a statement amid employee backlash that outlined his defense for publishing the piece.

Shortly after, however, a Times spokesperson released a statement saying that Cotton's op-ed failed to meet company standards and that editorial-board processes would be changed as a result.

Bennet was seen as a potential successor to current Times executive editor Dean Baquet. Katie Kingsbury has been named as acting editorial page editor through the November election.

more...

[Cha]

1. James Bennet greenlighted Tom Cotton's OP without

reading it?! Well, that's just stupid to start with.

Bennet did not personally read the op-ed before publication, but put out a statement amid employee backlash that outlined his defense for publishing the piece.

Shortly after, however, a Times spokesperson released a statement saying that Cotton's op-ed failed to meet company standards and that editorial-board processes would be changed as a result.

So where's his next job coming from?

[dalton99a]

3. A job that doesn't require reading

Everyone knows Tom Cotton is a rabid Southern racist

[Cha]

4. lol.. remember how upset so many were about Tom Cotton's

OP!?

This is an incredible ending.. 1 for the Reality Team Against the NYT

[gratuitous]

6. So, the only difference now is

Bennet isn't getting paid by the Times to not read the op-eds. Progress of a sort?

[W_HAMILTON]

8. I mean, he had one job.

If he isn't even reading the few editorials that are posted each day, what the hell is he doing as the editor of the editorial page?

[Native]

10. 🤣🤣🤣❗

[Cha]

18. Exactly! & if he were at all a critical thinker.. Tom Freaking

Cotton should have been his first clue & Red Flag.

[sarcasmo]

2. Kick!

[brush]

5. The Times approached Cotton (Bennet, I suppose) to write the piece.

Imagine that, going to a known racist to write a piece on sending in troops to dispel demonstrators protesting the murder on video of a black man by a white racist cop. And then not reading it before publication.

Why what could possibly go wrong?

You'd think the op-ed editor would have a keen feel of what's afoot in the nation. How do "dumb" people get so high up in one of the two top papers in the country?

God!

[Nay]

14. They know people, and/or they are of a certain educational background/social background. nt

[brush]

17. Yes. Knows the right people, went to the right school, and of course of the complexion.

The "right" mindset put him out of a job though.

[Iggo]

7. Um, yeah. He didn't read it.

[hibbing]

11. Editor of editorial page doesn't read the editorial?

Seems strange, but I don't know much about the fish wrap business.

Peace

[trof]

21. Here's what editors do

"prepare (written material) for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it."

I would submit that in order to edit written material you must first read said material.

[paleotn]

24. Particularly something from the likes of Cotton.

Maybe he's operating under the ridiculous idea that politicians are all the same. Or maybe he didn't get the memo that the Republican party took the off ramp to crazy town when Bill Clinton was president. I wouldn't publish a GD thing they wrote without heavy vetting and at the very least reading it for myself.

[scarletwoman]

12. James Bennet is the editor who killed editorial cartoons in the NYT - just one more reason to

celebrate his exist.

I posted about it here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2509572

[irisblue]

16. And he got and covered for Bed Bug Brett Stephens.

no loss

[Fiendish Thingy]

13. Good - maybe the next editor will fire David "The Hack" Brooks. Nt

[RVN VET71]

15. And reintroduce editorial cartoons!

[plimsoll]

19. Something of a dissenter on this.

I think they should have published Cottons editorial. Side by side with comparable quotes from all the other "monsters of history" hit parade.

The opinion expressed was vile, but I'm sure Cotton locked up the GOP nomination for 2024. These guys give Jefferson Davis a bad name.

[erronis]

25. I think you are exactly right. Fact check cottonmouth's words directly.

This is what he said.

This is the reality.

[SergeStorms]

20. Good. It's about time...

someone is "retired" from the MSM for allowing right-wing garbage to be publicly disseminated for a change. That's usually the standard method of getting rid of progressive (truthful) members of the media under duress from right-wing blowhards.

[rurallib]

22. Bad time to lose your job, dude!

good luck getting that unemployment insurance.

[paleotn]

23. He didn't personally read it....

That's all I need to know about Mr. Bennet as an editor.

[NCjack]

26. Probably didn't need to read, except for one reason. His staff rebelled and

his management support went into a panic and stayed silent. He was sacrificed.

[erronis]

27. Doesn't the publisher of this paper deserve some responsibility? Buck stops where?

Between Bennet and Baquet and a host of missteps, you'd think Sultzberger would realize his gray old ship is veering into dangerous waters.

[Hortensis]

28. It didn't veer, it was steered. The NYT is politically corrupt,

proven, working to sabotage Democrats and elect Republicans.