The Steady Drip: Weekly Standard Magazine

Weekly Standard Magazine

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Weekly_Standard

The Weekly Standard magazine is considered the prime voice of Republican neoconservatives, and one of the most influential publications in Washington under the Bush Administration. ^[1] Founded under Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, it was first published on September 17, 1995. On June 17, 2009, Philip F. Anschutz's Clarity Media Group announced it had acquired The Weekly Standard.^[2]

The magazine's editor is William Kristol, son of leading neoconservative Irving Kristol. William Kristol is also the chairman of the controversial Project for the New American Century.

In a May 2003 interview with JournalismJobs.com, Weekley Standard senior writer Matt Labash was asked, "Why have conservative media outlets like The Weekly Standard and Fox News Channel become more popular in the past few years?". In response he said:

Because they feed the rage. We bring the pain to the liberal media. I say that mockingly, but it's true somewhat. We come with a strong point of view and people like point of view journalism. While all these hand-wringing Freedom Forum types talk about objectivity, the conservative media likes to rap the liberal media on the knuckles for not being objective. We've created this cottage industry in which it pays to be un-objective. It pays to be subjective as much as possible. It's a great way to have your cake and eat it too. Criticize other people for not being objective. Be as subjective as you want. It's a great little racket. I'm glad we found it actually. ^[3]

Political influence

The Weekly Standard states on its website that "more than 65,000 politically active Americans nationwide receive the magazine each week". ^[4] Dwarfed by its primary competitor, the conservative National Review (circulation 155,000), the Weekly Standard nonetheless influences conservatives and neoconservatives alike through a massive Internet presence. ^[5] On its website, the Weekly Standard states that "before breakfast on Mondays, 4,000 requested copies of The Standard are delivered – also by hand - to every Member of Congress, to Congressional committees, and to federal agencies throughout the city." ^[6]

In 2003 William Kristol explained that "we have a funny relationship with the top tier of the administration. They very much keep us at arm's length, but Dick Cheney does send over someone to pick up 30 copies of the magazine every Monday." ^[7]

Eric Alterman, writing in The Nation magazine, described this presence as

"Reader for reader, it may be the most influential publication in America. Their circulation may be small but they are not interested in speaking to the great unwashed. The magazine speaks directly to and for power. Anybody who wants to know what this administration is thinking and what they plan to do has to read this magazine." ^[8]

Policy positions

In 1997, the Weekly Standard became one of the first publications to publicly call for regime change in Iraq.

William Kristol

William Kristol is an editor for the Weekly Standard, a friend of Daniel S. Senor, a friend of Robert Kagan, was the chairman & co-founder for the Project for the New American Century, and a contributor for Fox News.

Note: Media Matters monitors Fox News.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Media Matters, the Center for American Progress, and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and a supporter for the Center for American Progress.

Eric Alterman was a senior fellow at Media Matters, is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and a columnist for The Nation.

Robert Kagan is a friend of William Kristol, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and was a co-founder for the Project for the New American Century.

Daniel S. Senor is a friend of William Kristol, an analyst for Fox News, his sister is Wendy Senor Singer, and was the chief spokesman for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.

Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq was a transitional government after U.S. invasion for Iraq.

Iraq Study Group made policy recommendations on U.S. involvement in Iraq.

Lee H. Hamilton was a co-chair for the Iraq Study Group, and is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. was a member of the Iraq Study Group, is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle, Antoinette Cook Bush’s stepfather, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Valerie B. Jarrett is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s great niece, the senior adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

John L. Thornton is a co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), and was a director at the News Corp.

Haim Saban is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a friend of Shimon Peres.

Shimon Peres is a friend of Haim Saban, and the president of Israel.

AIPAC is the U.S.-based lobby group for Israel.

Wendy Senor Singer was the head of Jerusalem office for AIPAC, and her brother is Daniel S. Senor.

Daniel S. Senor is Wendy Senor Singer’s brother, a friend of William Kristol, an analyst for Fox News, and was the chief spokesman for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.

Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq was a transitional government after U.S. invasion for Iraq.

Antoinette Cook Bush is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s stepdaughter, the EVP for News Corp, and was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP was the lobby firm for News Corp.

Weekly Standard was a subsidiary of News Corp.