Hack List No. 1: Politico

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 21:59:00 +0000

This year, my annual list of the worst of political media highlights not just individuals, but the institutions that enable those individuals. The 2012 Hack List will be counting down the 10 media outlets that are hurting America over the next two days -- stay tuned! (Previous Hack List entries here, here and here.)

Surprise! It's Politico.

I have written tens of thousands of words on what, precisely, is wrong with Politico. But I can put the case much more simply here: It's Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei.

Politico holds contest to nominate best representative of Politico’s warped worldview for president

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:14:00 +0000

Politico has finally revealed itself to be a devilishly deadpan satire of idiotic Beltway thought with its "POLITICO PRIMARY," an exercise in selecting a third-party "independent" candidate for president based on the only criteria that matter: fealty to the shibboleths of the political elite. I choose to believe it's a wicked parody, because the alternative -- that Politico's Internet contest to pick America's Next Top Centrist reflects the sincere beliefs of Politico's editors -- basically means that the Washington "grown-up" political class is completely divorced from reality, not just deaf to the concerns and needs of actual non-"Morning Joe"-watching Americans but wholly ignorant of the existence of a country outside their bubble.

Jim VandeHei and famous email newsletter author Mike Allen are spearheading the campaign (which has already been unfavorably reviewed by CJR). Here, they explain why America was crying out for Politico Primary:

Salon.com > Jim VandeHei

Hack List No. 1: Politico

Politico holds contest to nominate best representative of Politico’s warped worldview for president