Washington Post fires ex-Register scribe turned White House watcher

Categories: Naranja News
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*Updated by Gustavo: Salon.com weights in...

Dan Froomkin, the onetime Orange County Register reporter who is best known as the author of the Washington Post's widely-read White House Watch blog, is out of work. According to a story today by Politico blogger Michael Calderone, the Post apparently decided to let Froomkin go because it no longer felt the need for his column. Froomkin drew ire from the Post's conservative readers for his tough coverage of the Bush White House as well as his perceived pandering to President Obama.

"THANK GOD the washingtonpost.com finally fired this guy," commented one reader on Froomkin's last blog post earlier today. "I've been posting on here for over a year that Froomkin needed to start looking for a new job what with no longer having Bush to kick around. Turns out Froomkin's percieved relevancy lasted less than 5 months into the Obama era."

Kris Coratti, the Post's media communications director, told Politico that the paper felt it was simply time to say goodbye to Froomkin. "I think the easiest way to put it is that our editors and research teams are constantly reviewing our columns, blogs and other content to make sure we're giving readers the most value when they are on our site while balancing the need to make the most of our resources," she said. "Unfortunately, this means that sometimes features must be eliminated , and this time it was the blog that Dan Froomkin freelanced for washingtonpost.com."


According to Froomkin's personal website, he worked at the OC Register from 1989 to 1995. Highlights of his tenure there include his coverage of the infamous "Honor Roll" murder case, hanging out with virgins at Cal State Fullerton--that's nice work if you can find them--and writing an "accessible" profile of Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher, an accomplishment worthy of UN recognition. 

Still at the Post via the Register is Kimberly Kindy, the paper's former Sacramento-based investigative reporter, who covered the 2008 presidential race. "Sources" say Froomkin will do just fine without the Post. We wish him the best!

Comments (4)

Stephen Voss says:

Dan Froomkin is in the old-fashioned sense a reporter of the highest quality: someone who digs, and lets chips fall where they may. He has been unafraid to criticize both Bush and Obama, particularly when their torture and secrecy decisions didn't square with this country's ideals.

Beyond the criticism, Froomkin was just about unique in providing captivating in-depth informative reports -- in a way the Washington Post was once famous for, but has now ceased offering.

The Post's ombudsman singled Froomkin out as "opinionated" a few years ago. This from a newspaper whose regular columnists include Charles Krauthammer, George Will, and William Kristol -- a crew who have sold their formidable intellects for a mess of pottage and now shill for the neo-con cause.

Dan Froomkin will secure a new outlet easily enough. It's sad to see him suffer this gratuitous insult, and sad to see the Washington Post move into the orbit of the truly opinionated outlets of this country and link its historic name with those of Fox and Murdoch.

Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 18 2009 @ 3:16PM
Phil says:

This is an odd bit of reporting. The one comment quoted from a reader of Dan's blog is not at all representative of the many thoughtful comments from folks who respect Dan's honesty and depth of reporting.

What purpose was served by such dishonesty?

Posted On: Saturday, Jun. 20 2009 @ 5:36PM
Wanda says:

Is there any resources for families to get restitution from torture within the USA?

Or is it just loony tunes and cartoon mania in the USA?

O that would never happen here just in other countries.

Posted On: Sunday, Jun. 21 2009 @ 1:07PM
Roy Bauer says:

One of Froomkin's pieces in the OC Register ("Teacher's view of Holocaust stirs furor," 4/4/95) is important in the never-ending "Life under the Neanderthal regime" saga of the South Orange County Community College District. The article first exposed SOCCCD trustee Steven Frogue as an apparent Holocaust denier. Ultimately, Frogue resigned (in 2000), only to be replaced by the equally Neanderthalic but way wickeder Tom Fuentes who, to this day, shows up at board meetings wearing a loin cloth and wielding a spiky club. I do hope Froomkin returns to OC and the Register, cuz I'm sick and tired of reading about beautiful baby contests and "Hooters" tryouts.

Posted On: Monday, Jun. 22 2009 @ 11:22AM

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