A month ago, John Podhoretz gave a shout out to the Washington Free Beacon, an online investigative newspaper focusing on national security, and corruption and anti-Semitism on the Left. John noted that the site was having some “birthing pains” even as it was doing an excellent job.
Well, any hiccups seem to be a thing of the past. Matthew Continetti’s essays and Bill Gertz’s national security scoops are must reads. Former Washington Jewish Week reporter Adam Kredo has also been doing yeoman’s work investigating not only the troubling anti-Semitic accusations of dual loyalty that many at John Podesta’s Center for American Progress as well as Media Matters for America appear to embrace, but also the Jewish groups and Foundations which fund such anti-Semitism. While some media outlets embrace groups endorsing Occupy AIPAC, it was Kredo who pointed out that working for the group was the cartoonist who took second place in President Ahmadinejad’s Holocaust denial conference.
If this is what the Free Beacon has achieved in just its first month, the only question out there is what will month two bring? Happy Anniversary, Free Beacon. Keep up the good work!
Farewell, But Not Goodbye
I thought I might be breaking a little news this afternoon, but others beat me to it yesterday. For those who haven’t heard, today is my last day at Commentary before I start at the Washington Free Beacon next week. When John Podhoretz brought me on board to write for Contentions, I had no idea how quickly the next two years would go by and how many incredible opportunities and experiences they would bring. It has been a thrill and a privilege to write for an outlet that had such a formative influence on my political views, and continued to shape them during my time at Contentions.
I can’t thank John enough for his kindness and support, and Jonathan Tobin for his daily editorial guidance, advice and encouragement. It has also been great to learn from and write alongside our phenomenal Contentions contributors.
I also want to thank our readers for sharing a part of your busy days with me. Your comments have often provided valuable insight, wit and inspiration. Perhaps the most rewarding part of this job has been watching the vibrant Contentions community grow over the last couple of years.
This isn’t goodbye. I know many of you are also Free Beacon readers, and look forward to hearing from you when I start there next week. I’ll be joining my friends on the news staff who have been scooping the mainstream outlets and striking fear into the hearts of White House officials for the past year. While my role there will be a different than it was at Contentions — reporting without writing opinion — my commitment to advancing the cause of freedom won’t change.
And of course, this isn’t goodbye to my colleagues. I’ll always consider myself a part of the Commentary family. Thank you for everything.