Wanted: A New Political Editor
Harry Jaffe’s weekend column looked at the state of the Post’s Capitol Hill coverage and found some room for improvement. The Post evidently thinks so too, as it’s throwing reporter after reporter onto the beat.
This shake-up is coming as the Post suddenly finds itself also searching for a new political editor. Maralee Schwartz has decided to move on, and while a final new assignment hasn’t come down the mountain yet, the buzz is that she’ll be helping with the Federal Page and a redesigned, new and improved Page 2.
“It is almost impossible to imagine our political coverage without Maralee at the helm. Her deep knowledge of Washington, unfailing news judgment, deft people skills and delightful, if peculiar, wit has made her one of the most beloved editors in the building,” Post execs said last week in posting the open job.
The posting for the job admits that a “strong candidate” has emerged, but says they’re open to other discussions. We hear the strong candidate is Post poster child John Harris, which might be one reason that Harris has–for now–such an ambiguous role in the Jaffe article.
It’d be quite a step for him, which is leaving a the tongues of a lot of Post gossip wagging about why he’d want the job.
No word on when final decisions will come down.
The full job listing is after the jump.
Department: News/National
Position: Editor
After steering us through two presidential elections and more congressional elections than any of us care to remember, Maralee Schwartz has decided to step down as The Washington Post’s political editor. It is almost impossible to imagine our political coverage without Maralee at the helm. Her deep knowledge of Washington, unfailing news judgment, deft people skills and delightful, if peculiar, wit has made her one of the most beloved editors in the building. She is our anchor, our glue, our engine and some days, our soul. With compassion and a slight bit of neurosis, Maralee tends to virtually every dilemma that presents itself — breaking news, whining reporters, second-guessing bosses and furious White House aides. She’s also serves as our doctor in residence, dispensing remedies for all National desk ailments, mental and physical.
We are still talking with Maralee about what her next life will look like, and trying to find just the right fit. In the meantime, we are trying to figure out who should succeed her on the desk. This is obviously a crucial job for The Post — overseeing franchise coverage. The editor directs our White House operation, our political coverage in Washington and around the country, and works closely with our Congressional editor in mapping out stories on Capitol Hill. The job requires someone with a strong knowledge of politics, a strategic vision for our coverage, a calm manner under pressure and an ability to juggle more balls than the most proficient of circus clowns.
A strong candidate has emerged for the job but we are eager to hear from anyone interested in the position or who might want to talk to us about our coverage generally as we make a transition to new leadership.
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Nadine Cheung
Editor, The Job Post
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