MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE
by Michael Wolraich
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The boy in the bubble: Ezra Klein rewrites the role of Washington wunderkind
By EmmaZahn on Tue, 09/04/2012 - 8:46pm |
He’s impossibly young, infuriatingly accomplished, and impressively wonky. In a town full of journalistic flop sweat, he glides instead of glistens, handsome enough to make the ladies turn their heads, and affable enough that their boyfriends compete for his attentions, too. Like ripples around a stone, influential circles appear seemingly wherever he dips his toe. Washington insiders seek his ear, New York magazines compete for his byline, and older journalists puzzle over how he could master journalism’s technological revolution and the northeastern media corridor well shy of his 30th birthday.
Of course, I’m talking about Ezra Klein, the 28-year-old “wonkblogger” whose visage and byline are everywhere these days, from The Washington Post to MSNBC, Bloomberg View to The New Yorker.
URL:
http://cjr.org/feature/boy_in_bubble.php?page=all
- 1075 reads
Comments
People are paid to write that crap?
by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 09/05/2012 - 12:38am
Mickey?
by EmmaZahn on Wed, 09/05/2012 - 2:05am
hah!
Just so you don't get only anonymous negative feedback, let me say I enjoyed reading it, and that I didn't expect to from the title.
by artappraiser on Wed, 09/05/2012 - 4:41am
I thought it was an interesting piece, not on a fresh topic as wunderkinds come along pretty regularly, but well-written.
About Ezra Klein, I wish him well but there is something about 28-year olds, no matter how talented, attaining the degree of influence he may have which gives me pause. My perspective is influenced by the fact that I was in an influential position as a congressional committee staff member working on major legislation when I was that age. It was my first job after having completed my studies. On the whole, looking back 25 years now on it, I think I showed mostly very good judgment and maturity. I had a sure feel for, and sense, of what I was doing, and I know that I was effective, which is all I wanted to be, in helping get a worthy version of the legislation passed.
That said, the 28 year old me, what I remember of that person, has long been a little bit scary to the successive mes. I retain some residual skepticism towards the writings of very young people, particularly those who have never worked for government, writing seriously about policy for policymaker audiences. Even if they are Ezra Klein.
by AmericanDreamer on Wed, 09/05/2012 - 1:47pm
As I have said elsewhere, I was so disappointed when Ezra succumbed to arguments for the 'doable' healthcare proposal that became Obamacare that I slowly found I stopped reading him. Probably a mistake. He is very, very influential with his age group.
I noticed from the puff piece that Joe Trippi had earlier schmoozed him into supporting Dean. At least he recognizes that it happened. I just hope he manages to grow more intellectually independent as he ages. It will be harder for him than others because being schmoozed has so far paid off extremely well.
by EmmaZahn on Thu, 09/06/2012 - 4:03pm