The Washington Post now describes Jennifer Rubin, who once was touted as a “conservative” author of the paper’s blog “Right Turn,” as an “opinion writer reporting from a center-right perspective.” In her Twitter bio, though, she still describes herself as a “conservative blogger at @WashingtonPost, MSNBC contributor.”
But on Wednesday, the American Principles Project sent a letter to the Post signed by 37 top conservative leaders to urge the paper to stop promoting Rubin as a “conservative” and to instead hire a columnist who could “eloquently and effectively” defend the policies of President Trump and his party.
“We, of course, respect the right of The Washington Post to employ whatever writers it pleases — even Jennifer Rubin. However, we ask for the sake of intellectual honesty that the Post cease to identify her as in any way ‘conservative,'” the conservative leaders wrote. “Given the Post’s standing as an important platform for political opinion in our nation’s capital, we also respectfully request that you consider hiring a voice who can eloquently and effectively defend the positions held by our President, his party, and the millions of voters who elected him. We would be happy to provide recommendations.”
A look at her recent columns certainly enforces that notion. A few headlines:
- Trump’s misogyny reaps diminishing returns
- If we want to protect the Supreme Court’s legitimacy, Kavanaugh should not be on it
- Trump has made America less respected than ever
- It just keeps getting worse for Republicans
- Ford runs circles around hapless Republicans, who now have a second scandal
“Anyone following Rubin’s writing closely at this point would rightfully find the claim that she is ‘conservative’ laughable. And yet, she is still regularly touted in the media as a conservative voice — and by your own paper as ‘reporting from a center-right perspective,'” the conservative leaders wrote.
“This issue exemplifies why so many Americans — particularly conservatives — hold a high distrust of the media. How can an average reader take the Post’s opinion section seriously when, of its numerous regular columnists, none can be found which defend the policies of our nation’s elected president?”
Among the signers of the letter were:
American Principles Project’s Francis P. Cannon; Marjorie Dannenfelser, Chairman Susan B. Anthony List; L. Brent Bozell, President of the Media Research Center; investigative journalist Michelle Malkin; Gary L. Bauer, President of American Values; and presidential historian Craig Shirley.