The Washington Post opinion columnist Jennifer Rubin made headlines for sparring with Politico, triggering a reminder that nobody – not even her own coworkers – likes Rubin.
(Well … maybe Bill Kristol likes her.)
Politico reached out to Rubin for an article about her columns and relationship with the Biden administration and she responded by accusing them of misogyny. Rubin reportedly intended to keep the email off the record, but Politico published it, saying they never agreed to speak off the record.
“How utterly predictable that Politico would run the zillionth hit piece on a prominent woman, especially one candid in her critiques of Politico’s hysterical, clickbait style of coverage,” Rubin wrote in the email. “The notion that I am polarizing in a newsroom (as opposed to any of the dozens of other opinion writers) is a ‘take’ only Politico could come up with — by of course running around to ask the question in the first place.” (RELATED: Washington Post Columnist Jennifer Rubin Suggests Congress Should ‘Defund Walter Reed’)
“I trust the Post’s superb news side folks spend zero time thinking about me (as is entirely appropriate),” she continued. “My only surprise is that Sam [Stein, POLITICO’s White House editor], a very good journalist, would become enmeshed in such an obviously misogynistic publication. Surely there are finer publications that would have him. And btw, what a low class move to do this on Yom Kippur at the last moment.”
NEW: columnist Jennifer Rubin was one of the Obama administration’s most reactionary critics
Now she’s the Biden admin’s favorite columnist
W/ @NickNiedzWe reached out to Rubin her columns and divisions at Wapo over them
Her response—>https://t.co/ZigZyLctwt pic.twitter.com/KZZAK1tXhq
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) September 17, 2021
Politico’s article noted that Rubin, a self-described conservative who is a staunch defender of President Joe Biden, is “the Biden administration’s favorite columnist.” Chief of Staff Ron Klain has interacted with Rubin more than 36 times since May, according to the outlet. She has enjoyed promotions of her work from the White House press team, the Democratic National Committee, the State Department and the vice president’s office.
Everyone except the White House knows Jen Rubin is cringe pic.twitter.com/1x3t4RWcs3
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) September 16, 2021
Washington Post employees are divided over Rubin, according to the article.
One Post reporter told Politico that “Rubin is not a good representation of the news coverage of the Washington Post,” but added that they don’t “hate sharing a newsroom with her.”
Two reporters said that they just choose to ignore her and not read her work. Another told Politico that some employees at the Post are “increasingly frustrated” because Rubin is repeatedly echoing the Biden administration and “emboldening” the White House to resist journalists more.