Former NYT Editor Slams Paper Over Handling of Op-Ed: ‘Threw Me in the Garbage’
Former New York Times editor James Bennet is speaking out about his departure from the paper after receiving backlash for an op-ed that was published. Politico reported in June 2020 Bennet resigned from the Times…
Former New York Times editor James Bennet is speaking out about his departure from the paper after receiving backlash for an op-ed that was published.
Politico reported in June 2020 Bennet resigned from the Times following an uproar over an op-ed penned by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) titled “Send the Troops In.“
The outlet noted the op-ed advocated for deploying the military for riots reacting to the death of George Floyd.
Recently, Bennet spoke about the matter with Semafor co-founder Ben Smith.
According to Bennet, Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger “blew the opportunity to make clear that The New York Times doesn’t exist just to tell progressives how progressives should view reality. That was a huge mistake and a missed opportunity for him to show real strength.”
He added, “He still could have fired me.”
Smith pointed out Bennet signed off on an editor’s note saying the op-ed “fell short of our standards and should not have been published.”
Bennet told Smith his “regret is that editor’s note. My mistake there was trying to mollify people.”