Cox Talks: Dining for Dough, Pocket Squares & Politico

Yesterday, at the Newseum’s ‘Inside Media’ event, an eager audience dished with the original Wonkette – Air America’s Ana Marie Cox. After describing her pay-for-play approach to the fund raising that fueled her cross-country coverage of the McCain campaign, Cox candidly answered questions from the audience.

One inquiring mind suggested that Cox’s coverage at Wonkette paved the way for pubs like Politico; to which Cox didn’t disagree but questioned by virtue of mission and reader expectations. Cox went on to say that Politico “has dumbed-down” political coverage; citing Daniel Libit‘s recent article ‘Pols are Hip to the Square.’

Cox explained that Libit’s pocket square piece is something she might have done at Wonkette but rightfully so: it was supposed to be snarky, witty and the point was to cover politicos like celebrities.

“Politico takes celebrity-style coverage of Washington seriously,” she said. “All tone, no substance.”

More about weekend Wonkette after the jump.

On covering the McCain campaign:

Cox spent most of the time hungover – “heavy drinking is still very much a part of time on the trail.”

She liked covering Palin because she was much cheaper to track – “she stayed at much crappier hotels [than McCain].”

She self-funded the tour via donations w/ benefits: A $1000 earned donors a dinner with Cox. For $500, she would “ask a McCain aide a question” on the donor’s behalf.

On Wonkette:

No surprise…Cox says she doesn’t read Wonkette now.

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