CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Clothing
      • Technology
      • Beauty
      • Home
      • Pets
      • Kitchen
      • Fitness
      • I'm Looking For
      BEST PICKS
      • Best VPNs
      • Best Gaming PCs
      • Best Air Fryers
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOMEPAGE
      Media

      NY Times Top Editor Defends Climate Skeptic Bret Stephens, and Other Controversial Columnists

      GREY LADY

      Executive Editor Dean Baquet on Thursday praised the paper’s op-ed page, despite multiple firestorms. In particular, he defended conservative Bret Stephens’ climate positions.

      Maxwell Tani

      Media reporter

      Updated Mar. 22, 2018 1:19PM ET / Published Mar. 22, 2018 12:44PM ET 

      Monica Schipper/Getty

      NEW YORK — The top editor at The New York Times on Thursday defended Bret Stephens, arguably the paper’s most controversial columnist, who has used the Grey Lady’s pages to espouse climate skepticism.

      Over the past year, critics have excoriated the paper for printing regular columns by Stephens, particularly in response to his repeated attempts to cast doubt on science suggesting climate change is caused by human activity.

      During a panel at the Financial Times’ Future of Media conference on Thursday, Dean Baquet asserted that Stephens was “not a climate change denier,” as his critics have contended. Instead, Baquet argued, Stephens simply makes a more nuanced point about climate change and the economy.

      “He is pushing back against those who think climate change should dominate all thought about regulation,” Baquet explained. “Whether you agree with him or not, that is a provocative point.”

      Though Stephens has not outright denied the science of anthropogenic climate change, he has suggested that climate-science predictions could be as inaccurate as weather models or the 2016 election models.

      During Thursday’s panel, the executive editor slightly distanced himself from the Times’ increasingly controversial editorial board, pointing out he does not oversee the op-ed section.

      Over the past few months, the paper has taken heat for printing Stephens; running a misleading column by Bari Weiss that bashed liberals using what turned out to be a fake tweet; and hiring (then firing) tech columnist Quinn Norton, who has a history of bigoted tweets.

      But Baquet did throw his full support behind editorial chief James Bennet, despite the aforementioned firestorms.

      “I agree with what James Bennet is trying to do,” he said.

      READ THIS LIST

      DAILY BEAST
      • Cheat Sheet
      • Politics
      • Entertainment
      • Media
      • World
      • Innovation
      • U.S. News
      • Scouted
      • Travel
      • Subscription
      • Crossword
      • Newsletters
      • Podcasts
      • About
      • Contact
      • Tips
      • Jobs
      • Advertise
      • Help
      • Privacy
      • Code of Ethics & Standards
      • Diversity
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Copyright & Trademark
      • Sitemap
      • Best Picks
      • Coupons
      • Coupons:
      • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
      • HP Coupon Codes
      • Chewy Promo Codes
      • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
      • NordVPN Coupons
      • JCPenny Coupons
      • Nordstrom Coupons
      • Samsung Promo Coupons
      • Home Depot Coupons
      • Hotwire Promo Codes
      • eBay Coupons
      • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
      © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC