Ezra Klein Critiques Bari Weiss‘s “Asymmetric Sympathy” as She gains Influence at CBS News
WASHINGTON D.C. – New York Times columnist ezra Klein has offered a nuanced assessment of Bari Weiss’s rising media profile, notably as she prepares for a significant role at CBS News, acknowledging her “insane talent” while sharply criticizing what he describes as an imbalance in her “sympathy and generosity” as an editor.Teh comments came during a recent discussion about the current media landscape and the summer of 2020 upheaval at The New York Times, which saw the departure of both james Bennett and Weiss herself.
Klein, who previously edited the website Vox, praised Weiss’s ability to identify and cultivate talent, citing her recruitment of economist Tyler Cowen as a columnist for The Free Press as a particularly astute move. “Bari is an insane talent spotter,” he stated. “She’s very,very good at finding people,at pulling them in,at networking with them. She’s sort of an impresario.”
However, Klein strongly disagreed with some of The Free Press’ editorial choices, specifically pointing to coverage of the situation in Gaza. He accused the publication of attempting to “whitewash” the severity of the crisis, noting reports that focused on pre-existing conditions among those who died from starvation. “It’s done this whole thing, like, Well, a lot of the kids who have died and have been reported on, well, they had secondary conditions. And, yes, when you starve a population the people who die first will be the most vulnerable. But that’s not exculpatory. Ther was overwhelming evidence of how bad things were in Gaza,” Klein explained.
He characterized Weiss’s broader political project as an attempt to occupy a self-defined “center,” a position he described as “navigational” rather than rooted in consistent principles. He noted that The Free press‘s stance has shifted depending on which party holds power, being “much more sort of pro-Trump” when Democrats were in power and adopting a more critical stance now that Trump is running again.
“What I see her trying to do is something that used to be somewhat more common,” Klein said, referencing a time when more publications attempted to position themselves as centrist. He likened The Free Press to the older iterations of The New Republic, suggesting a similar tendency to use the concept of the “center” as a strategic positioning device.
Klein ultimately acknowledged Weiss’s editorial skill, even while emphasizing that her political outlook differs significantly from his own. His comments highlight the ongoing debate about the role of self-reliant media and the challenges of navigating an increasingly polarized political environment.
