Reporters vs. publishers and editors: On IQs, faulty edits, a Knopf editor and an unnamed columnist

The Solomon Scandals is a reporter’s novel, with editors and the publisher in the way of truth and decency.

If nothing else, an ideological chasm gapes in the newspaper business between editorial coolies and publishers. Reporters tend to be far, far more liberal at many dailies than are the publishers. So what to make of a new study saying that liberals as a group are smarter? Time for reporters to take over and rescue the industry? Should publisher Katharine Weymouth (photo) at the Washington Post bring back Nicholas “Left at the Post” von Hoffman as her replacement?

Outside the newspaper business, I’ll note a  Gawker writer’s assault on Knopf or at least one of the editors there who failed to edit her own copy. Exactly. Didn’t I tell you? Writers are smarter.

Confession: Underneath I do have a soft spot for editors and publishers, or at least those at my old newspaper who tolerated me. I sold my Web site partly because I lacked the resources for the copy editors I wanted to hire, and I wouldn’t mind some here. The right editor speaking up could have saved a certain Washington columnist—I’ve mentioned her name enough for the moment—from lots of pain, a point I’ve made here before. I was pleased to learn of similar sentiments held by the Post’s Gene Weingarten.