The New York Times has an unusual job for its top political reporters, columnists and editors on election night.
In addition to working the phones and writing stories about the winners and losers, the editorial team will be pushed in front of fans paying $250 for an election night party complete with hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
And according to Poynter’s James Warren, “Perhaps if you’re really solicitous, you can convince them to let you hover over the traditional scrum of editors as they massage a reporter’s lede on the primary news story after deciding when to call the race.”
He listed the big shots tasked to fete the public: Executive Editor Dean Baquet, Senior Political Editor Carolyn Ryan, Editorial Page Director James Bennet, columnists Frank Bruni and Maureen Dowd, reporters Maggie Haberman, Michael Barbaro, Yamiche Alcindor, Nicholas Confessore and Jim Rutenberg.
“Top editors and reporters will tear themselves away from what is normally as hectic a night as you’ll find in a major newsroom to illuminate matters — and turn a buck for the company,” he wrote.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
