PrintSeptember 17, 2005
Feminist blackmail
Susan Estrich, the Harvard trained lawyer who so magically supervised Michael Dukakis' losing presidential campaign, is now once again misdirecting her considerable talents. Apparently utilizing that old Jesse Jackson trick of extortion/blackmail to place more of group identified workers in jobs, Estrich has been throwing hissy fits, threatening the Los Angeles Times opinion editor to run more female columnists.
But the battle between the two longtime acquaintances has escalated to bitter warfare, with Estrich bombarding Kinsley with e—mails assailing him for "arrogance," "audacity," being a "jerk" and warning him before a charity event: "You want me to work that dinner about what an [expletive] you are?" Kinsley, in turn, accused Estrich of "blackmail."
Actually, this clever public outing of their tempest aids all the parties involved; each now becoming more powerful within their respective professional and social circles, probably another reason for the disclosure. For others not involved this may further diminish Estrich; revelations of the twisted considerations required for publishing a column may further diminish MSM.
As a side benefit, Howard Kurtz, the media columnist for the Washington Post, is now exposed as one with a limited knowledge of media.
Only a handful of female columnists —— Maureen Dowd, Ellen Goodman, Molly Ivins —— are nationally known.
Uh, Howard——Michelle Malkin, Mona Charen, Amity Shlaes, Linda Chavez, Ann Coulter—— to name a few——are not only known in flyover country they are recognized on both coasts even if you don't, possibly because of their opinions.
And as for me: when my esteemed editor ignores one of my illuminating contributions, I don't threaten, I don't blackmail and I certainly don't have hissy fits. I just smugly think he's wrong, wrong, wrong. So there!
Ethel C. Fenig 3 7 05
UPDATE: Richard Weltz adds to Ethel's list:
Maggie Gallagher, Alicia Col撑, Andrea Peyser, Dorothy Rabinowitz, Peggy Noonan, and Barbara Amiel, among others.
