Bush is good for journalism: even Maureen Dowd can write now

The New York Times > Opinion > Maureen Down: Love for Sale

Maureen wants to prostitute herself to the Bush administration. This is a great column, funny with tears, biting with despair. Maureen used to be a crummy writer, but the longer Bush is in power the better she's doing.

The same powerful tonic has come to The Atlantic, Harpers and the New Yorker. I just read Richard Clarke's article in the January Atlantic -- American as a 2011 military state (but why did he call the Mall of America the Mall of the States? -- was he being polite?). It was a great article, but excellence is now routine in The Atlantic. That wasn't true four years ago. They must be making money -- the mag is getting thicker every month.

Harpers is consistently interesting. The New Yorker, fueled by Seymour Hersh, deserves a few Pullitzers.

True, the New York Times is pretty feeble, but maybe this bracing influence will finally resuscitate them.

Of course I'd rather have Kerry as President. If I have to live with King George however, it's good to have something to read in my hideaway.