Huffington Post Hires David Axelrod's Son to Run Denver Edition

Huffington Post Hires David Axelrod's Son to Run Denver Edition

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 07:29:14 PM EST
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Huffington Post is expanding to several cities to focus on local news. Denver is one of the cities. The Washington Post reports that Ethan Axelrod, the 22 year old son of Obama advisor David Axlerod, will be running the Denver edition. David Axlerod was a reporter for the Chicago Tribune before beoming a political advisor.

The younger Axelrod started yesterday as editor of the Huffington Post's new local edition in Denver, the third of a dozen planned sites that have already launched in New York and Chicago and will next target Los Angeles. He applied for the job, was interviewed by Arianna Huffington along with other candidates, and was tapped after submitting a mockup of the Denver home page. The site goes live in September.

Welcome to Denver, Ethan. I think it's great we'll be getting a new quality news site, especially now that we're down to one local paper.

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Huffington Post Hires David Axelrod's Son to Run Denver Edition | 105 comments (105 topical)

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Hmmm. (5.00 / 10) (#1)
by inclusiveheart on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:13:41 PM EST

While I have nothing against Ethan - I dunno - 22 - son of a major White House player - asked to "run" anything at this point in his professional career - sort of has a big time nepotism and "insider" feel to me.

I think that couldn't be any more obvious (5.00 / 2) (#2)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:25:53 PM EST

But eh, it's the way the world turns.

Parent

Not my world. (5.00 / 7) (#3)
by oldpro on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:31:01 PM EST

The Washington world, no question.

Gee, think there will be any ethical challenges or conflicts of interest in reporting on the White House?

Nah....

Parent

: Well, it isn't exactly a newspaper. . . (none / 0) (#5)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:34:20 PM EST

Parent

But, but, but . . . (5.00 / 5) (#7)
by nycstray on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:38:22 PM EST

they interviewed him, they really did!! lol!~ Guess they had to say something to fill space . . .
It is the way the world turns, but I can't help but feel for the experienced unemployed editors out there . . .

Parent

I'm tempted to say (none / 0) (#8)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:41:07 PM EST

that I feel a little sorry for Dan Froomkin. But then, is this really any worse than some of the nonsense that we see out of the Post?

Parent

Haven't seen anything by Froomkin (none / 0) (#15)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:45:52 PM EST

yet at Huff Po. Have you?

Parent

Can't remember the last time I opened huffpost (5.00 / 2) (#18)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:48:35 PM EST

anyway.

Parent

: But, if you do... (none / 0) (#102)
by NYShooter on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 01:24:26 PM EST

remember to begin your post with, "Arianna is the most brilliant, smartest, bravest.......yada, yada
That is, if you don't want to be deleted

Parent

I'm sure he'll do ... (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by Robot Porter on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:28:38 PM EST

a lot of skiing.

Parent

Yes and No (5.00 / 4) (#11)
by jerry on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:42:33 PM EST

So what does it mean to run the Denver edition? Is he the editor? Manager? Publisher? What sort of staff and budget does he have?

What experience does he have in Denver? (Jeralyn writes welcome to Denver, I would have thought that if he is going to run Denver, he would be deeply familiar with it.)

22 seems young, but probably too old for Internet startup guy. So it's relative.

Mainly I think there's an obvious conflict of interest and Ariana just stepped into it, especially after last month's scandal.

Parent

It's a blog! (none / 0) (#10)
by Steve M on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:41:29 PM EST

Let's not act like he's been named to oversee the reconstruction of Iraq or anything.

Parent

merely because, (5.00 / 1) (#19)
by cpinva on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:55:23 PM EST

Let's not act like he's been named to oversee the reconstruction of Iraq or anything.

at the time, he wasn't yet old enough to sign a valid, binding contract.

and what would be young master axelrod's bona fides? or is it considered declasse' to ask that?

oh, do the people working at the huffington post even get paid?

Parent

: I'm thinkin' his bona fides aren't much (5.00 / 1) (#22)
by nycstray on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:06:40 PM EST

or something more would have been mentioned in the article and they would have skipped the interview blurb ;)

Parent
: I have no idea (none / 0) (#24)
by Steve M on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:13:06 PM EST

maybe it will all come out at his Senate confirmation hearings, for this critical position of public trust that he holds. I honestly had no idea it was so critical for the public to assess the qualifications of the local Huffington Post editor for America's 21st-largest metropolitan area, but you all have set me straight.

Parent

Any idea (5.00 / 5) (#25)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:16:57 PM EST

how few paying editor's jobs are out there? And how many unemployed veteran editors?

So what's this kid, the semi-left's version of Jonah Goldberg?

And at 22, he was a reporter for the Chi-Trib for how long, a couple weeks?

I'm sorry, but this is an embarrassment.

Parent

I have no clue (none / 0) (#31)
by Steve M on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:39:54 PM EST

why don't you give me the names of some of the worthy candidates who applied for this job and were turned down, and I'll probably agree with you.

For goodness sakes, if the Huffington Post is truly selecting incompetent people to run their website, maybe someone else should start their own blog and hire all the quality editors who are out there looking for work. Surely they'll kick HuffPo's ass. It's not like the business of blogging has massive barriers to entry or anything.

Parent

Ya think they just (5.00 / 3) (#57)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:33:08 PM EST

couldn't find anybody at all in Denver who had, say, a couple years experience as an editor and maybe knew something about the territory?

Blogging has low barriers to entry. High-profile paying jobs in the editorial field, however, are a whole different thing-- as I'm sure you know very well.

Can't even imagine why you're going out of your way to defend this kind of crap. How many kids with a couple months' experience as reporters and no knowledge of the territory whose names aren't Axelrod or Gibbs or Jarrett or the like do you imagine would even get an interview?

Parent

It's a blog (none / 0) (#60)
by Steve M on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:39:46 PM EST

The editor of the Chicago edition is a 25-year old with nothing but a little experience as a staff journalist for the Sun-Times.

They staff it like a blog because that's all it is. This is not the NYT Denver edition. There's nothing for me to defend because there's nothing to attack, I don't get why people are acting like one of our nation's most hallowed news institutions is cheapening itself.

Parent

: No HuffPo is positioning itself (5.00 / 1) (#100)
by inclusiveheart on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 01:01:19 PM EST

to be a news outlet/blog hybrid - with emphasis on the news outlet part. Ariana has been moving in this direction for a very long time now. They now retain "reporters" on the staff. She is starting an initiative to fund investigative reporters. Nothing against Axelrod's kid, but I am pretty sure that he doesn't have the chops yet to manage the experienced folks he is likely to be dealing with. Again, nothing againt him personally, but he really is just starting out at 22 on so many levels that the position seems a bit grandiose at this stage of his life.

Parent

There's also the son of Tim Russert (none / 0) (#65)
by FoxholeAtheist on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:13:38 AM EST

Luke Russert:

In 2008, following his graduation from Boston College and the subsequent death of his father, NBC News hired Russert as a correspondent covering youth issues in the 2008 presidential election. He was assigned to the Democratic and Republican conventions.[3][4]

Parent

But he isn't running a Bureau yet. (5.00 / 1) (#101)
by inclusiveheart on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 01:02:27 PM EST

FWIW. Cub reporters are often young - but they aren't put in charge of cities.

Parent

How fun would it be to co-host a radio (none / 0) (#66)
by oculus on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:19:22 AM EST

sports show with Carville?

Parent

: Yeah, it's always a horse race (none / 0) (#72)
by FoxholeAtheist on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:36:28 AM EST

for Carville. He was fun to watch on that CNN daytime show with Bob Novak, who was super close with the late Tim Russert. (The latter two were featured prominently in the Plame leak case and Fitz called both of them to testify.)

Parent

Already (none / 0) (#78)
by daring grace on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 07:59:05 AM EST

Huffpo has got people talking about their new venture.

Seems to me like the Axelrod kid has earned his keep in promo value alone.

I don't tend to go to Huffpo Central and I doubt unless Jerilyn links to something interesting sounding there, I'll go to this new site.

If this were a position of public trust or even a major news outlet I might join the chorus of outrage. But it's a regional blog outlet of the Huffington Post...and since when did connections hurt getting your foot in the door? This isn't particularly new with Axelrod jr.

Parent

I wonder if they asked him about abortion (none / 0) (#12)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:43:06 PM EST

Parent

: And fundamental rights and Kelo (none / 0) (#16)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:46:24 PM EST

and Ricci.

Parent

Good point. (none / 0) (#13)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:43:11 PM EST

Parent

I bet he'll be making ... (none / 0) (#28)
by Robot Porter on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:32:35 PM EST

at least ten times what most of us made when we were twenty-two.

Parent

On his way to a reality TV show, no doubt (none / 0) (#29)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:34:18 PM EST

Parent

Yup, the "Paris Hilton" ... (none / 0) (#32)
by Robot Porter on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:40:30 PM EST

of the blogosphere.

Parent

: Now that's an insult to Paris ;-) (5.00 / 1) (#36)
by FoxholeAtheist on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:50:35 PM EST

Parent

All of the octo-mom's kids are now (none / 0) (#41)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:17:02 PM EST

under contract for such a show. But only 15% of their earnings must be retained in trust for them.

Parent

Only 15%?! (none / 0) (#44)
by nycstray on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:39:58 PM EST

Parent

According to, as I recall, LAT, citing (none / 0) (#47)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:48:08 PM EST

CA law. That's an improvement.

Parent

: it is. (5.00 / 1) (#55)
by cpinva on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:26:57 PM EST

That's an improvement.
it's commonly referred to as "coogan's law", after the late jackie coogan. a successful child actor, upon reaching his majority, he was stunned to discover his parents had pretty much squandered all his earnings. under the laws of the time, mr. coogan had no recourse.
in the wake of that, the state legislature passed a bill requiring more stringent controls on the earnings of under-age entertainers, of which this is part.

Parent

In all seriousness (none / 0) (#34)
by Steve M on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:48:25 PM EST

do you believe this job carries a six-figure salary? I would be stunned.

Parent

I doubt that, but read this (5.00 / 4) (#38)
by nycstray on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:57:59 PM EST

job description for an associate editor. They also are advertising for an intern. And he jumps to editor of a specific news section with what experience?

Parent

Whatever the salary, the hiring did (5.00 / 4) (#39)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:58:35 PM EST

merit a story in the Washington Post. Now maybe that's a problem in and of itself.

Parent

Which is worth how many ... (5.00 / 4) (#40)
by Robot Porter on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:13:52 PM EST

dollars of free publicity?

Parent

: Bingo (5.00 / 1) (#79)
by daring grace on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 08:00:39 AM EST

So he is serving a useful purpose for Huffpo.

Parent

WaPo's Dana Milbank looked reallly bad, (none / 0) (#93)
by FoxholeAtheist on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 11:49:09 AM EST

jealous, petty, vindictive, etc. when he went medieval on Nico Pitney - just because Obama chose to pitch that Iran question to a 'lowly' HffPo blogger.

WaPo may be looking to do some damage control - because even though HuffPo is a rag it is a highly influential one. I mean, Arianna is an omnipresent talking head and I expect most of the establishment media wouldn't want to be on her bad side.

Viola, WaPo does a free-publicity story about HuffPo hiring Ethan Axelrod. All is well again in the village and its outskirts.

Parent

Yeah... the new "news" is so much (5.00 / 5) (#4)
by tigercourse on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:33:43 PM EST

better then the old news. Newspapers are being replaced by sites run by the children of our leaders. Great.

OMG, what has happened to the Left? (5.00 / 2) (#9)
by masslib on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:41:23 PM EST

The son of the President's closest adviser running an arm of a supposed "news" organization. I'm sure he'll be completely objective.

Why do you think Axelrod's on the left? (5.00 / 2) (#20)
by lambert on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:59:05 PM EST

He's a "progressive."

Parent

That swoosh you heard was me missing the point (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by jerry on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:06:16 PM EST

Okay, I don't understand. I know there are differences between:

Democrat
Liberal
Progressive
Left

But I have no idea what those differences are because of how they are treated so differently by so many different people even at this one website.

Let me just postulate that we haven't begun to map the fine or hyperfine structure of political identity. We will find quantum sub-supergroups of this inhomogeneous left-seeking supercollection. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.

Parent

Yes, you are right... (5.00 / 1) (#45)
by masslib on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:41:07 PM EST

but I wasn't talking about Axelrod. I was talking about the Left's(?) reaction to a major "news" organization hiring the son of the President's closest adviser as an editor. I guess this the new "progressive" way to question authority...question your daddy?

Parent

Not to forget HuffPo's Nico Pitney (2.00 / 0) (#70)
by FoxholeAtheist on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:30:09 AM EST

Nico Pitney, who Obama selected, in advance, to ask him a question related to an "Iranian citizen" - at the end of a major press conference.

The establishment media had a hissy fit, but the progressive blogosphere was proud as punch. You know, 'it's different when we do it' - conjoined with 'it's different when Obama does it'. That mess of magical thinking has contributed to the fine mess we're in right now.

Parent

: Fine Mess? (5.00 / 0) (#71)
by squeaky on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:35:37 AM EST

Which fine mess is that?

Parent

I would not expect (none / 0) (#46)
by Steve M on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:44:50 PM EST

the editor of a local Denver news site to be doing much in the way of White House analysis. Of course I can't speak for the entire "Left" here.

Parent

Ha. BTW, steve, if you aren't (5.00 / 1) (#48)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:49:57 PM EST

going to take the ball and run with it re extensive investigation of Crowley/Gates incident, please let me know. I'm thinking since I'm retired I can beat out everyone else with a book.

Parent

: Time is money, friend. (none / 0) (#74)
by Steve M on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 01:00:54 AM EST

Parent

Really? (5.00 / 7) (#49)
by masslib on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:53:00 PM EST

I would think, outsider looking in, that Arianna "what's good for the White House is good for the Huffington Post" gave young Mr.Axelrod the post to ingratiate herself to senior Axelrod. I would guess the post is more about access to the WH than young Mr.Axelrod's sterling performance at his college newspaper. And, I don't like my "news" sources that cozy with close advisers to the President that they employee their 22 year old sons to prominent positions in their organization.

Parent

Shrug (5.00 / 2) (#51)
by Steve M on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:07:34 PM EST

We may not see many hard-hitting exposes of White House scandals from the Denver page of the Huffington Post, 'tis true.

I get worked up as much as anyone about the fecklessness of the modern media but I really can't be bothered about the Huffington Post. It's a blog, if it sucks in terms of progressive criticism, some progressive start a new one. I hope none of us were seriously expecting Ariana Huffington to be our flag-carrier.

Parent

Have a little respect. She is on Colbert (none / 0) (#52)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:09:03 PM EST

Report this very evening.

Parent

: Undoubtedly (none / 0) (#54)
by Steve M on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:24:10 PM EST

paying homage to the REAL progressive flag-carrier.

Parent

Do you rely on Huff Post for news? (none / 0) (#50)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:00:39 PM EST

Parent

Wasn't HuffPo given some big exclusive (5.00 / 2) (#53)
by Inspector Gadget on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:18:03 PM EST

by Obama during the primaries? Like the place where he published his first response to the Rev Wright tapes?

We'll just have to wait and see if they end up getting all the exclusive interviews with POTUS, or if "unnamed sources close to the Oval office" show up frequently in breaking news.

Parent

: They Broke the "Bitter Clinging to Guns" (5.00 / 0) (#81)
by daring grace on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 08:06:11 AM EST

quote during the primaries.
That was certainly a gift for some if not particularly for Obama (and Axelrod).

Parent

No, of course not... (none / 0) (#104)
by masslib on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 04:13:44 PM EST

but with the old newspapers drying up, and with the advent of the internet, I know many people, particularly young people, do and will continue to. I'm not interested in a Left-leaning version of Fox News.

Parent

Won't his principal job be to (none / 0) (#14)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:44:27 PM EST

make sure his staff collects the local gossip?

Parent

: If he could do that, it would probably (none / 0) (#17)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:47:28 PM EST

mean that he's qualified.

Parent

Since When Was the News Ever Objective? (none / 0) (#68)
by squeaky on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:25:56 AM EST

Parent

Jeralyn, as a way of welcoming Ethan to (5.00 / 2) (#27)
by Anne on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:31:34 PM EST

the Denver neighborhood, you might want to fix the spelling of his name: it's Axelrod, not Axlerod - that latter sounds like something that holds one's car together...

It's always been about "who you know," but this has all the hallmarks of access, and only access, to the ultimate inside track.

Lots of 22 year olds are very talented, but when your dad is thisclose to the president, "wunderkind" is what he'd better be.

This is funny! (5.00 / 6) (#30)
by Robot Porter on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:39:21 PM EST

Axelrod began writing and editing for the school paper while at Colorado College, in Colorado Springs, and he hadn't necessarily planned to join the online world until learning of the Huffington opening. His father's journalistic roots "piqued my interest a bit," he said. "I've always been a follower and admirer of news reporting."

That's his qualification, writing for his college newspaper, and thinking journalism seemed cool.

Has he written his autobiography yet? (5.00 / 5) (#37)
by FoxholeAtheist on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:53:59 PM EST

Parent

: Here was a headline on TL sidebar: (5.00 / 1) (#42)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:18:00 PM EST

The Mendacity of Nope.

Parent

i think being (5.00 / 2) (#56)
by cpinva on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:29:46 PM EST

That's his qualification, writing for his college newspaper, and thinking journalism seemed cool.

the grossly overcompensated partner of a wall street firm is pretty cool. where do i apply?

Parent

: Well, did you sell lemonade (5.00 / 3) (#67)
by oculus on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:21:22 AM EST

as a kid?

Parent

Is that what he sd. in the interview? (none / 0) (#33)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:41:06 PM EST

Parent

: That's from the article in ... (none / 0) (#35)
by Robot Porter on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:48:39 PM EST

Wapo linked above.

Parent

Speak of the devil... (5.00 / 1) (#73)
by FoxholeAtheist on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:47:38 AM EST

Here's an item from HuffPo (via the AP):

No Breakthrough In Talks But Bipartisan Panel Close To Agreement On Medicare Savings.

: Seems that the only thing the Dems (5.00 / 1) (#77)
by MO Blue on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 07:23:17 AM EST

can agree upon is cuts to Medicare.

Parent
: Savings? Really?? (5.00 / 1) (#92)
by sj on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 11:45:55 AM EST

Savings? That's what they're calling it? It really makes me feel ill. I'm sure that by the time I'm eligible for Medicare, they will have successfully, bipartisanly gutted it.
Like the villages in Viet Nam: we had to destroy it to save it.

Parent

Apparently, it was "Dad" who told (5.00 / 2) (#87)
by Anne on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 09:10:04 AM EST

young Ethan about the opening...

"I've been interested in journalism for a while," the 22-year-old Axelrod said Tuesday. "I heard through my father that they were expanding, so I applied for it."

So, anyone wonder how Dad heard about the job?

And, I'm sorry, but when a 22 year old says he has been interested in journalism "for a while," I have to wonder if that means all the way back to his middle school days. Not to say he isn't "serious" about a career in journalism, or that he isn't a smart and gifted young man, but I still think the benefits of giving him the job will accrue to HuffPo because of the WH connection, and not because Ethan is going to set the journalism world on fire.

Although, more power to him if he does. Maybe he can hire some of the people his father's age who have been let go by major newspapers that have shut down or made major cuts...

: What are the odds Ethan will run for POTUS (none / 0) (#95)
by FoxholeAtheist on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 11:54:56 AM EST

when he comes of age? If his old man is alive and kicking, he may be a shoe-in.

Parent

Look at it this way (5.00 / 1) (#88)
by Bemused on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 09:16:20 AM EST

You've taken a major pay cut and your investment portfolio took a major hit and your 22 year old son just graduated into the worst job market in recent memory. He didn't do well enough in school to earn an academic scholarship for grad or professional school, and frankly he's becoming a burden.

One perk of your job is that people who otherwise would toss his resume in the trash jump at the chance to hire him. so, yo do the honorable thing and steer him away from lobbying/PR firms or the banks and insurance companies, etc. and get him a job on a blog with the proviso that he be sent to the hinterlands.

Sure it makes Huffpo look more ridiculous but he could have used his pull to get him a job that would raise a lot more concerns.

I think that's fair enough (none / 0) (#94)
by andgarden on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 11:53:35 AM EST

But it still doesn't make Huffpo look great.

Parent

Axelrod could have made Ethan a speechwriter (none / 0) (#96)
by FoxholeAtheist on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:00:19 PM EST

to Obama - he's in the right demographic. As Bemused says:

Axelrod could have used his pull to get [his son] a job that would raise a lot more concerns.

Parent

Really? (none / 0) (#98)
by sj on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:40:33 PM EST

Hinterlands? Denver?

I'm wounded.

Parent

: I live in even more of a "hinterland" (none / 0) (#103)
by Bemused on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 02:05:53 PM EST

and am quite happy not living in media capital.

Parent
: at least (none / 0) (#105)
by Jeralyn on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 10:44:46 PM EST

he didn't call us a "cow town."

Parent

Made my day (5.00 / 1) (#99)
by Stellaaa on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:46:52 PM EST

Read the headline, then read the comments and everyone said what I was thinking. Such a great feeling to know that "some people" have a healthy dose of cynicism.

Wondering which Huff Po version I am (none / 0) (#6)
by oculus on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 08:35:18 PM EST

getting now. I thought there was one.

I think you all missed the point (none / 0) (#23)
by Jeralyn on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 09:08:50 PM EST

that he's running an edition focusing on local Denver news. HuffPo is a major news site, it's not just bloggers and it's good to have more news sites focusing on local issues.

um, no jeralyn, (5.00 / 3) (#59)
by cpinva on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:39:11 PM EST

I think you all missed the point

i think perhaps you did. since when is HuffPo a "major" news site? i can walk down any street in america, ask 10 randomly chosen people if they've ever heard of it, and i will bet greenbacks 9.9 out of 10 will give me a blank look, if not discreetly move away.

perhaps in ms. arianna's mind it is. in the real world, it isn't. personally, i don't think much of her, apparently you do. beside the point. hiring a 22 year-old who may or may not be able to construct a complete sentence, as the editor of anything other than a college paper, is questionable judgment.

Parent

Depends on what her goal is (none / 0) (#61)
by andgarden on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:41:29 PM EST

Parent

: Money and influence. (none / 0) (#75)
by Fabian on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 05:25:54 AM EST

I don't think of her as a journalist, just a publisher and a player.

Parent

Not Sure (none / 0) (#84)
by daring grace on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 08:10:44 AM EST

if knowing if any random number of people on the street know that there is a website called the Huffington Post is reasonable measurement of their influence.

How many people during the primaries last year heard about Obama's clinging to guns etc. quote?

Huffpo breaking that story seemed pretty 'major' at the time.

Parent

I think you miss the Denver Post (5.00 / 3) (#62)
by Cream City on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:49:04 PM EST

but even two competing online "papers," the Nu Post and the Huffpo Local, aren't going to add up to a late, great newspaper. And its great staff, with more journalism experience and more local experience.

News today in my town: The sole remaining daily paper is letting go another 50-plus experienced journalists, more than 20 percent more of its remaining staff after a series of other buyouts, layoffs, and worse. The paper is down to a shred of its former self. Maybe if we're really lucky, we'll get a Huffpo Local. And get a 22-year-old kid who went to school here for a while to come back and run it, with all of his experience.

Sorry, but these are good friends of mine as well as good journalists, here and across the country, who are not going to be giving us good papers anymore. And a lot of them can't get jobs at all.

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Both Denver and Seattle (none / 0) (#64)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:03:30 AM EST

closed major papers and the journalists got together to start their own online "news" site.

Hopefully, those in your area can do this, too. I'd prefer to support great news via the internet than put great journalists in mediocre/questionable circumstances that compromise their beliefs and talents.

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: If you follow E&P (none / 0) (#91)
by Cream City on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 09:51:10 AM EST

and other trade mags and journalism listservs, you'd know that most of those stopgap efforts are not paying the rent or mortgage, not covering many if any benefits, etc. Most are little more than group blogs at this point. Note that Jeralyn and BTD need day jobs.

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Well, that's too bad (5.00 / 2) (#80)
by ruffian on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 08:04:05 AM EST

cuz the main defense of hiring Axelrod's 22 yr old son for this job seems to be that it is 'only a blog' and not a news organization.

Really, having a news bureau in a major city run by any 22 yr old is just ridiculous IMO. Surely Arianna could do better than that.

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: any 22 yr old not named (none / 0) (#82)
by ruffian on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 08:07:57 AM EST

andgarden, that is. :-)

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Missed the point (none / 0) (#43)
by prittfumes on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 10:19:23 PM EST

"Huffpo is a major news site."

Right!

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You may find it ridiculous (none / 0) (#58)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:38:12 PM EST

as I do, but like it or not, Jeralyn's absolutely right. It is considered a "major news site" by the Washington/New York, etc., village, just below Drudge and a coupla notches above Josh Marshall as a "must read."

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: It's sort of the MSNBC "Countdown" of (5.00 / 2) (#63)
by Inspector Gadget on Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:59:11 PM EST

internet talking heads.
I find it seriously discouraging to see how active the readership is and the volume of comments (not to mention the leanings toward outrageous mean). Worse, how often links from otherwise sane blogs send their readers to HuffPo as though it's a credible source.
Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's quality.

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In defense of Huffpo ... (none / 0) (#76)
by Robot Porter on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 05:41:35 AM EST

unlike most "blogs," it does have some staff reporters, and does feature a small amount of original news content.

It posts a lot of news stories from other sources. But so-called "legitimate newspapers" also run unedited wire service stories.

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Congratulations (none / 0) (#69)
by squeaky on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:27:30 AM EST

And good luck in Denver.

the job description and title (none / 0) (#83)
by Jlvngstn on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 08:08:21 AM EST

reads like a "vice president" at a bank. Ever cover local news? City in a Local School Council meeting? You ever wonder why the small town reporters love having Sarah Palin visit? There is a direct correlation....

But Denver is not a small town (none / 0) (#85)
by ruffian on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 08:15:28 AM EST

Plenty of things going on there.

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: i'll reserve judgement (none / 0) (#90)
by Jlvngstn on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 09:47:07 AM EST

until after i see what is produced. But then again that would require me to visit huffpo which is entirely unlikely....

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Good For Him (none / 0) (#86)
by bob h on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 09:04:06 AM EST

Is Ethan the son with epilepsy? My nephew and his wife both have it, so I am sensitive to what a brake it puts on what one can accomplish in life.
More power to Ethan if he is the one with this problem.

No, Lauren Axelrod (none / 0) (#89)
by daring grace on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 09:43:32 AM EST

Ethan's sister has epilepsy.

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: Yeah Axelrod was torn as to (none / 0) (#97)
by FoxholeAtheist on Wed Jul 29, 2009 at 12:16:12 PM EST

who he would work for in the '08 campaign. LINK:
Personal ties between Axelrod and Hillary Clinton also made it difficult, as she had done significant work on behalf of epilepsy causes for a foundation co-founded by Axelrod's wife and mother, Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE). Axelrod's daughter suffers from epilesy.
Axelrod's wife even said that a 1999 conference Clinton convened on finding a cure for the condition was "one of the most important things anyone has done for epilepsy."
However, Axelrod decided to participate in the Obama campaign. Ultimately, he viewed Obama's potential candidacy as inspirational and historic. He often likens Obama to Robert F. Kennedy and told The Washington Post, "I thought that if I could help Barack Obama get to Washington, then I would have accomplished something great in my life."

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Huffington Post Hires David Axelrod's Son to Run Denver Edition | 105 comments (105 topical)

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