“As for who might take over the job if Len does move on, I wouldn’t be nearly as dismissive as Jaffe is about Phil Bennett’s chances. Phil understands these challenges as well as anyone, and has been doing yeoman’s work trying to enact them. Other possibilities are Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, the sports editor, who has been more successful than any other section editor at turning his reporters into multi-media machines. Liz Spayd is a possibility due to her time at, and understanding of, the web. And a dark horse could be David Ignatius, the columnist and former International Herald Tribune editor, for his strong strategic sense. Jaffe’s notion that Dean Baquet might be in the running is baloney. No way the Grahams would go outside the Post.”

“I agree about the lack of potential candidates. Lots of people who could jockey for No. 2 but not a lot for No. 1. Internally, the most likely candidates would be Phil, Emilio and Susan Glasser.”

It’s amazing to us at The Washington Post that Len Downie has not yet sent out an email to the staff addressing not one, but TWO stories discussig whether he will depart, and why he stonewalled the City Paper in an interview.

Of course, we simply noticed that Downie returned Erik Wemple’s call but not Jaffe’s. What up with that?

UPDATE: The same tipster says…

I hear that Emilio is not a contender for executive editor. David Ignatius is definitely on the list. Marilyn Thompson — who used to be the editor of a very good paper in Kentucky — would be a dream.