This is not only a great pick for this award, it's also an education in our sometime-topic — how to read the media.
First, the "great pick" — this award goes to the Fred Hiatt for collecting the "world['s] greatest gaggle of wankers" — the whole Washington Post editorial page (my emphasis):
Krauthammer. Broder. Hoagland. Kristol. Novak. Cohen. Lane. Cupp. Thiessen. Kurtz. Samuelson. Diehl. Kelly. Noonan. Will. Ignatius. Parker. Marcus. Milbank. Gerson.But do not miss this, students of media. Great catch by Atrios:
Some of these people are no longer with us, and I have no idea which ones Hiatt is really responsible for, but I'm a lazy blogger so I'll just throw them all in his column. Imagine assembling this collection of horrors, and being proud of it. ... It's an award for individual achievement in wanking, and an award for the highest achievement in group wanking. Congratulations, Fred!
Some years back I had a wee epiphany when I realized that, for the most part, we aren't supposed to to read the WaPo editorial page. It isn't actually for us. It's a means for certain elites to send messages to each other, a way for the "Gang Of 500" to take their battles public, to signal their interests and priorities. There are some exceptions to this, some columnists who write for readers, but for the most part it's simply a conversation by and for elites. ... On his page is where the Washington Consensus is defended daily, truth be damned.I've heard it said (by Sam Seder I think) that Morning Joe is not for you either; it's the first conversation the Beltway has with itself. Very nice epiphany, a tad more than "wee" in my humble etc.
Do read; these are just snippets. Atrios actually "writes long" this time — well, long for him. Six whole paragraphs (seven if you count the one with two words in it).
I can't wait for the Wanker Crown to grace the winning head. Whose will it be? Has Bush II been listed yet? Or his Sicilian Kingmaker?
GP
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