If I understand this post of Brad DeLong’s, a magazine I used to like but recently have had doubts about just slit its own wrists. Apparently, The Economist just appointed the guy who has been writing the Lexington column for the past few years to be the Editor in Chief. (I say apparently, because the entry for John Micklethwait at the Economist web site says he previously edited the US section of the newspaper which may or may not have included writing as Lexington.)
I’ve explained my problems with the modern Economist before (too little about Albania, too much that sounds like the GOP), but now I have to add that the Lexington column has for years, without exception, been the most pathetic part of the magazine. For years it has been the predictable and unoriginal regurgitation of the most pedestrian GOP talking points. Ken Mehlman with a very slight British accent. Appointing Lexington to run the thing would be so stupid that although I reluctantly renewed recently, I’d be tempted to ask for my money back.
Fortunately, this Penguin blurb says “Adrian Wooldridge writes its Lexington column”, although it’s undated. So maybe there’s still hope. Although if he was editing Lexington and didn’t recognize for the warmed over spin points that it was…
