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{{Short description|American journalist, pundit, and author}}
'''Mickey Kaus''' is a journalist and author best known form writing '''Kausfiles''', a "mostly political" ] featured on ]. Kaus is the author of ''The End of Equality'' and had previously worked as a journalist for '']'', '']'' and ]. Kaus attended ] but has never practiced law. He has a brother, ], who is a lawyer and occasional commentator on ]. Kaus currently resides in ].
{{refimprove|date=June 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox person
| name =
| image = Mickey Kaus head shot.jpg
| caption = Kaus in 2009
| birth_name = Robert Michael Kaus<ref>{{cite web|url=http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=71439 |title=State Bar of CA :: Robert Michael Kaus |publisher=Members.calbar.ca.gov |date=December 22, 1976 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|7|6|mf=y}}
| birth_place = ], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = ] (], ])<br>
| occupation = author, journalist, blogger
| alias = "Mickey" Kaus
| title =
| family =
| spouse =
| domestic_partner =
| children =
| relatives = ], brother
| credits = noted blogger; author of several books; on-air personality for several audio and video media outlets; published journalist for '']'', '']'' and ], among other places
| URL = http://www.kausfiles.com
}}
'''Robert Michael "Mickey" Kaus''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|aʊ|s}}; born July 6, 1951) is an American journalist, ], and author, known for writing '''Kausfiles''', a "mostly political" blog which was featured on '']'' until 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last=Feeney |first=Matt |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/default.aspx |title=Kausfiles |publisher=Slate.com |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> Kaus is the author of ''The End of Equality''<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H2JeH_qOlPwC&q=The+End+of+Equality |title=The end of equality – Mickey Kaus – Google Books |isbn=9780465098293 |accessdate=October 18, 2011|last1=Kaus |first1=Mickey |date=April 21, 1995 |publisher=Basic Books }}</ref> and had previously worked as a journalist for '']'', '']'', and '']'', among other publications.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kausfiles.com/mickeybio.html |title=kaus files dot com &#124; masthead |publisher=Kausfiles.com |date=December 10, 1994 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Kaus was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Peggy A. (Huttenback), a civic activist, and ], a ] and ] Associate Justice.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204100309/http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2008/11/16/blog-of-rivals.aspx |date=December 4, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-me-prop8-supreme-court19-2008nov19,0,7603226.story |title=Court is feeling the heat on Prop. 8 – Los Angeles Times |work=Los Angeles Times |date=November 19, 2008 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> His brother, ], is a California Superior Court judge<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwclaw.com/attorneys/attorneyBio.aspx?name=StephenKaus |title=San Francisco Attorney: Stephen Kaus |publisher=Cwclaw.com |accessdate=October 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005154223/http://www.cwclaw.com/attorneys/attorneyBio.aspx?name=StephenKaus |archivedate=October 5, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and occasional commentator on '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-kaus/ |title=Stephen Kaus |work=Huffington Post |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> His paternal grandmother was novelist and screenwriter ]. His father was born in Vienna, Austria, and his mother was born in Germany and raised in England. His parents were both from Jewish families.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://reason.com/video/mickey-kaus-on-immigration/|title=Mickey Kaus on How Unions Killed the Democrats, Immigration, New Media, & Bringing the Velvet Underground to Beverly Hills High|date=June 4, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=peggy-a-kaus&pid=152526055|title=Peggy Kaus Obituary - Beverly Hills, CA &#124; Los Angeles Times|website=] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-04-11-mn-531-story.html|title=Dorothy Huttenback, Force Behind Music Guild, Dies|date=April 11, 1987|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> Kaus attended ] and ] but has never practiced law. He currently resides in ], California.{{cn|date=September 2024}}


==Kausfiles== ==Kausfiles==
Kaus first wrote Slate's "Chatterbox" column in ] but started Kausfiles in ] as a private blog. In ], he returned to Slate at the invitation of editor ]. During ], the daily readership of Kausfiles varied between 15,000 and 30,000. Kaus first wrote ''Slate'''s "Chatterbox" column in 1997 but started Kausfiles in 1999 as a private blog.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100709073734/http://www.slate.com/id/36702/year/1999/landing/1/ |date=July 9, 2010 }}</ref> In 2002, he returned to Slate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2014/04/mickey-kaus-former-slate-columnist-recalls-his-favorite-slate-piece-from-his-decade-at-the-magazine.html|first=Mickey|last=Kaus|work=Slate|title=Mickey Kaus' Favorite Slate Story|date=10 April 2014}}</ref> at the invitation of editor ]. During 2003, the daily readership of Kausfiles varied between 15,000 and 30,000.


Stylistically the blog is most notable for its ] including the ruse of a non-existent editor. Media critic ], in his book ''Attack Poodles and Other Media Mutants'', uses Kaus as the ] example of a type of ] he labels "counterintuitives". This type of pundit goes out of his way to stake out positions which run counter to conventional wisdom or, frequently, common sense, for the sole purpose of marvelling in his own cleverness. Kaus has identified himself as ]. Nevertheless, liberals like Paul Krugman and J. Bradford DeLong believe that Kaus is no longer a neoliberal but rather a neoconservative, which they indicate by calling him a Rhinoceros, from Eugene Ionesco's play of that name. (Sources: , ) Stylistically the blog was most notable for its ] including the ruse of a non-existent editor, as well as frequent, ironic exclamation points. Media critic ], in his book ''Attack Poodles and Other Media Mutants'', used Kaus as the ] example of a type of ] he labels "counterintuitives". This type of pundit goes out of his way to stake out positions which run counter to conventional wisdom.


During the ], Kausfiles uncovered an interview with ] by ] in which he boasted of participating in group sex. This post sparked a series of claims of sexual misconduct during Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding and acting career. Kaus later posted about a ] ] appearance where Schwarzenegger claimed that he deliberately damaged chimneys in order to boost demand for his bricklaying business, which was another scoop. During the ], Kausfiles uncovered an interview with ] by '']'' magazine in which he boasted of participating in group sex.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/08/29/MN33107.DTL |title=A raunchy interview bedevils Schwarzenegger / 1977 chat includes blunt talk on drugs, sex |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=August 29, 2003 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> This post sparked a series of claims of sexual misconduct during Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding and acting career. Kaus later posted about a 1981 '']'' appearance where Schwarzenegger claimed that he deliberately damaged chimneys in order to boost demand for his bricklaying business, which was another scoop.


During the ], the blog displayed a strong and consistent distaste for ], despite the fact that Kaus endorsed Kerry and contributed to his campaign. Kausfiles has also consistently criticized the ''],'' Santa Monica radio station KCRW, and CNN President Jonathan Klein. During the ], the blog displayed a strong and consistent distaste for ], despite the fact that Kaus endorsed Kerry and contributed to his campaign.<ref name=ezra>{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. '']''. ]. May 2007.</ref> Kausfiles has also consistently criticized the ''],'' ] radio station ], ] ], and ] President ].


In 2007, Kaus reported from an anonymous source that candidate ] was having an affair with documentarian ].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Rosenbaum |first=Ron |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2175509/#nodrudgenostory |title=Edwards walks the line. – Slate Magazine |journal=Slate |date=October 15, 2007 |publisher=Slate.com |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> Edwards and Hunter both publicly denied this, and Kaus was widely criticized for what amounted to an assumption of guilt.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2007/10/the-epistemology-of-kausfiles/46763/ |title=The Epistemology of Kausfiles – Matthew Yglesias – Politics |publisher=The Atlantic |date=October 14, 2007 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> The affair later proved to be true.
The blog also comments on the ], and Kaus irregularly files automotive-centric "Gearbox" columns on Slate.

The blog also commented on the ] and Kaus irregularly filed automotive-centric "Gearbox" columns on ''Slate''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rosenbaum |first=Ron |url=http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?x=0&y=0&search_loc=on&qt=Kaus+Gearbox&id=3944 |title=Homepage – Slate Magazine |publisher=Slate.com |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>

As a result of his 2010 run for the Senate, Kaus left ''Slate''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2010/03/18/kausfiles-is-out-there-somewhere.aspx |title=Kausfiles is out there. Somewhere. |accessdate=March 18, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322190832/http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2010/03/18/kausfiles-is-out-there-somewhere.aspx |archivedate=March 22, 2010 }}</ref> and hosted his blog on his campaign website. On September 20, 2010, the Kausfiles blog was relaunched at '']''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Mickey Kaus |url=http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/kausfiles/2010/09/20/get-me-more-sarah-palin.html |title=Get Me More Sarah Palin! – The Daily Beast |work=Newsweek |date=September 20, 2010 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> Kaus was fired from Newsweek and later blogged at '']''.

== Resignation from ''The Daily Caller'' ==
In March 2015, Kaus quit ''The Daily Caller'' after its editor, ] refused to run a column by Kaus that was critical of ] coverage of the immigration policy debate. Carlson, who also worked for Fox, reportedly did not want the Caller publishing criticism of a firm that employed him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/03/mickey-kaus-quits-daily-caller-after-tucker-carlson-204135.html|title=Mickey Kaus quits Daily Caller after Tucker Carlson pulls critical Fox News column|first=Dylan|last=Byers|website=POLITICO|date=March 17, 2015 }}</ref>

==Political views==
{{external media| float = right| video1 = , ]}}
] at the 2014 ] (CPAC) in March 2014.]]
Kaus was an influential proponent of ] in the 1980s, and is a fierce critic of both ] (particularly automotive workers' unions and teachers' unions) and low-skilled immigration (he supports the ], calling to wait to see the law's practical effects before overturning it).<ref>{{cite web|author=Nick Gillespie from the August–September 2010 issue |url=http://reason.com/archives/2010/07/19/mickey-kaus-interview/3 |title=Unions 'Own the Democratic Party' – Reason Magazine |publisher=Reason.com |date=July 19, 2010 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref><ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726085049/http://kausforsenate.com/news/newsitem.php?section=PRS&id=8407&showcat=2&seq=1 |date=July 26, 2010 }}</ref>

Kaus' constant criticisms of ] have led liberals<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc50.2008/BrokbkMtn/3.html |title="Brokeback Mountain" p. 3 |publisher=Ejumpcut.org |date=February 22, 1999 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> (including his ] sparring partner ] and conservatives to see him as a ]. He has been criticized for his persistent defense of his friend ] from many liberal critics.<ref>{{cite web|author=Lloyd Grove |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-04-06/can-this-blogger-unseat-barbara-boxer/ |title=Can This Blogger Unseat Barbara Boxer? |publisher=The Daily Beast |date=April 6, 2010 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thegspot.typepad.com/blog/the_war_against_mickey_kaus/ |accessdate=October 23, 2010 |title=The war against Mickey Kaus |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100730101710/http://thegspot.typepad.com/blog/the_war_against_mickey_kaus/ |archivedate=July 30, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/03/kaus_and_coulte.html |title=Kaus and Coulter: What Gives? – The Daily Dish – The Atlantic |publisher=Andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com |date=March 4, 2007 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
During the 2008 presidential campaign, Kaus endorsed ] for president, while criticizing other Democrats including ]. In the ] Kaus wrote that he hoped the Democrats would fail to take over the ] but take the Senate. He called the election "perverse" because he saw a Democratic victory as not impeding ]'s Iraq policy but helping his immigration policy. Nevertheless, Kaus declared he still voted for Democrat ].<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208080805/http://www.slate.com/id/2153082/%26 |date=February 8, 2007 }}</ref>

In 2020, he stated that he had voted for Trump in 2016, but would prefer a more electable Trumpist
Kaus is generally moderate on foreign policy (he is notably dovish on issues pertaining to the Middle East).<ref>{{cite journal|last=Rosenbaum |first=Ron |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2078333 |title=The Likudnik Factor – Slate Magazine |journal=Slate |date=February 14, 2003 |publisher=Slate.com |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>


==Radio== ==Radio==
Kaus also attempted to transition to radio, making occasional contributions to the Slate/] show "]." Kaus's radio segments failed to gain much of an audience, a fact which some attribute to the grating, somewhat nasal quality of his voice. Kaus has also contributed to radio, making occasional contributions to the Slate/] show '']''.<ref>{{cite web|author=NPR Online |url=https://www.npr.org/programs/day/slate/ |title=Day to Day and Slate Magazine |publisher=NPR |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>


==Bloggingheads.tv== ==Bloggingheads.tv==
] comparing stuffed ] visual aids on ].]]
On ], ], Kaus and journalist ] launched , a video weblog dialog or "dia-vlog" focusing on mostly-political current events. Kaus and Wright trade off from time to time with other bloggers and authors, discussing the headlines and latest developments and making predictions.
On November 1, 2005, Kaus and journalist ] launched ], a video weblog dialog or ] focusing on mostly-political current events.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bloggingheads.tv/about/ |title=about |publisher=Bloggingheads.tv |date=November 1, 2005 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> Initially Kaus and Wright were the regular participants. Eventually Wright recruited many other bloggers, journalists and scholars to take part, discussing the headlines and latest developments and making predictions. Wright, who bought out Kaus in the early days of the site, still appears often with various guests. By contrast, Kaus's appearances became increasingly infrequent. In 2020, Kaus once again became a weekly guest on Wright's show. Their conversations now include a bonus segment called "The Parrot Room" which is only available to patrons of the show.


To exploit the visual side of the medium, Kaus sometimes uses visual aids such as an ] mask and a stuffed moose. According to Kaus "Deploying the moose" symbolizes ]'s idea of "the unaddressed important issue" similar to the "]." To exploit the visual side of the medium, Kaus sometimes uses visual aids such as an ] mask and a stuffed moose. According to Kaus<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bloggingheads.tv/?id=42&tid=81 |title=Bloggingheads.tv |accessdate=February 25, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213015731/http://bloggingheads.tv/?id=42&tid=81 |archivedate=February 13, 2006 }}</ref> "Deploying the moose" symbolizes ]'s idea of "the unaddressed important issue" similar to the "]."


In an episode recorded February 8, 2006, Kaus said<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bloggingheads.tv/diavlogs/36?in=35:26&out=35:46 |title=The Battle of Britney! |publisher=Bloggingheads.tv |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> "half the Democrats are going to vote for McCain and I'm going to be one of them." Kaus linked<ref>{{cite journal|last=Rosenbaum |first=Ron |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2184672/ |title=McCain's Univision connection. – Slate Magazine |journal=Slate |date=February 26, 2008 |publisher=Slate.com |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref> to his own statement in a February 10, 2008 blog post with the words, "I can't believe I said this."
Although purportedly somewhat liberal, Kaus is friends with controversial conservative pundit ], which has caused public friction between Kaus and Wright.


==Further reference== ==2010 senate run==
According to a March 1, 2010 report in '']'', Kaus took out papers to run for the United States Senate.<ref>{{cite web |last=Romero |first=Dennis |url=http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/mickey-kaus-for-senate/ |title=CORRECTED: Mickey Kaus Takes Out Papers For U.S. Senate Run – Los Angeles News – The Informer |publisher=Blogs.laweekly.com |date=March 1, 2010 |accessdate=October 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609065935/http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/mickey-kaus-for-senate/ |archivedate=June 9, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Kaus ran as a "Common Sense Democrat," stating that he did not expect to win, but hoped to raise issues.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news|last=Solomon |first=Deborah |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/magazine/14fob-q4-t.html?partner=rss&emc=rss |title=The Blogging of the Candidate |work=The New York Times |date=March 11, 2010 |accessdate=October 18, 2011}}</ref>


In a March 2, 2010 entry on Kausfiles, Kaus announced that he had taken out nomination papers to run in the Senate primary for California against ].

Kaus finished a distant third in the June 8, 2010 Democratic primary election, with 5.3%<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/ussen/59.htm |title=Election Results - June 8, 2010 |accessdate=June 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609223713/http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/ussen/59.htm |archivedate=June 9, 2010 }}</ref> of the total vote (or 94,298 votes). Political unknown Brian Quintana took second with 14.2%, while incumbent ] secured 80.5%, ensuring that she would continue on to the general election.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* *
* , Kaus's video discussions with ] * and others (usually ]) on ]
* *
*
* {{usurped|1=}} about the ]
*{{C-SPAN|12719}}

{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 18:20, 22 September 2024

American journalist, pundit, and author
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Mickey Kaus
Kaus in 2009
BornRobert Michael Kaus
(1951-07-06) July 6, 1951 (age 73)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Other names"Mickey" Kaus
EducationHarvard University (BA, JD)
Occupation(s)author, journalist, blogger
Notable credit(s)noted blogger; author of several books; on-air personality for several audio and video media outlets; published journalist for Newsweek, The New Republic and Washington Monthly, among other places
RelativesStephen Kaus, brother
Websitehttp://www.kausfiles.com

Robert Michael "Mickey" Kaus (/ˈkaʊs/; born July 6, 1951) is an American journalist, pundit, and author, known for writing Kausfiles, a "mostly political" blog which was featured on Slate until 2010. Kaus is the author of The End of Equality and had previously worked as a journalist for Newsweek, The New Republic, and Washington Monthly, among other publications.

Personal life

Kaus was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Peggy A. (Huttenback), a civic activist, and Otto Kaus, a Democrat and California Supreme Court Associate Justice. His brother, Stephen Kaus, is a California Superior Court judge and occasional commentator on The Huffington Post. His paternal grandmother was novelist and screenwriter Gina Kaus. His father was born in Vienna, Austria, and his mother was born in Germany and raised in England. His parents were both from Jewish families. Kaus attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School but has never practiced law. He currently resides in Venice Beach, California.

Kausfiles

Kaus first wrote Slate's "Chatterbox" column in 1997 but started Kausfiles in 1999 as a private blog. In 2002, he returned to Slate at the invitation of editor Michael Kinsley. During 2003, the daily readership of Kausfiles varied between 15,000 and 30,000.

Stylistically the blog was most notable for its interior monologues including the ruse of a non-existent editor, as well as frequent, ironic exclamation points. Media critic James Wolcott, in his book Attack Poodles and Other Media Mutants, used Kaus as the archetypal example of a type of pundit he labels "counterintuitives". This type of pundit goes out of his way to stake out positions which run counter to conventional wisdom.

During the 2003 California recall, Kausfiles uncovered an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger by Oui magazine in which he boasted of participating in group sex. This post sparked a series of claims of sexual misconduct during Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding and acting career. Kaus later posted about a 1981 Today Show appearance where Schwarzenegger claimed that he deliberately damaged chimneys in order to boost demand for his bricklaying business, which was another scoop.

During the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the blog displayed a strong and consistent distaste for John Kerry, despite the fact that Kaus endorsed Kerry and contributed to his campaign. Kausfiles has also consistently criticized the Los Angeles Times, Santa Monica radio station KCRW, media critic Howard Kurtz, and CNN President Jonathan Klein.

In 2007, Kaus reported from an anonymous source that candidate John Edwards was having an affair with documentarian Rielle Hunter. Edwards and Hunter both publicly denied this, and Kaus was widely criticized for what amounted to an assumption of guilt. The affair later proved to be true.

The blog also commented on the automotive industry and Kaus irregularly filed automotive-centric "Gearbox" columns on Slate.

As a result of his 2010 run for the Senate, Kaus left Slate and hosted his blog on his campaign website. On September 20, 2010, the Kausfiles blog was relaunched at Newsweek. Kaus was fired from Newsweek and later blogged at The Daily Caller.

Resignation from The Daily Caller

In March 2015, Kaus quit The Daily Caller after its editor, Tucker Carlson refused to run a column by Kaus that was critical of Fox News coverage of the immigration policy debate. Carlson, who also worked for Fox, reportedly did not want the Caller publishing criticism of a firm that employed him.

Political views

External videos
video icon Booknotes interview with Kaus on The End of Equality, August 23, 1992, C-SPAN
Kaus debating Ann Coulter at the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in March 2014.

Kaus was an influential proponent of welfare reform in the 1980s, and is a fierce critic of both labor unions (particularly automotive workers' unions and teachers' unions) and low-skilled immigration (he supports the 2010 Arizona anti-illegal-immigration law, calling to wait to see the law's practical effects before overturning it).

Kaus' constant criticisms of liberalism have led liberals (including his Bloggingheads.tv sparring partner Robert Wright) and conservatives to see him as a right-winger. He has been criticized for his persistent defense of his friend Ann Coulter from many liberal critics.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Kaus endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, while criticizing other Democrats including Barack Obama. In the 2006 U.S. Midterm Elections Kaus wrote that he hoped the Democrats would fail to take over the U.S. House of Representatives but take the Senate. He called the election "perverse" because he saw a Democratic victory as not impeding George W. Bush's Iraq policy but helping his immigration policy. Nevertheless, Kaus declared he still voted for Democrat Jane Harman.

In 2020, he stated that he had voted for Trump in 2016, but would prefer a more electable Trumpist Kaus is generally moderate on foreign policy (he is notably dovish on issues pertaining to the Middle East).

Radio

Kaus has also contributed to radio, making occasional contributions to the Slate/NPR show Day to Day.

Bloggingheads.tv

Kaus and Robert Wright comparing stuffed moose visual aids on Bloggingheads.tv.

On November 1, 2005, Kaus and journalist Robert Wright launched BloggingHeads.tv, a video weblog dialog or dia-vlog focusing on mostly-political current events. Initially Kaus and Wright were the regular participants. Eventually Wright recruited many other bloggers, journalists and scholars to take part, discussing the headlines and latest developments and making predictions. Wright, who bought out Kaus in the early days of the site, still appears often with various guests. By contrast, Kaus's appearances became increasingly infrequent. In 2020, Kaus once again became a weekly guest on Wright's show. Their conversations now include a bonus segment called "The Parrot Room" which is only available to patrons of the show.

To exploit the visual side of the medium, Kaus sometimes uses visual aids such as an Al Gore mask and a stuffed moose. According to Kaus "Deploying the moose" symbolizes Pinch Sulzberger's idea of "the unaddressed important issue" similar to the "elephant in the room."

In an episode recorded February 8, 2006, Kaus said "half the Democrats are going to vote for McCain and I'm going to be one of them." Kaus linked to his own statement in a February 10, 2008 blog post with the words, "I can't believe I said this."

2010 senate run

According to a March 1, 2010 report in LA Weekly, Kaus took out papers to run for the United States Senate. Kaus ran as a "Common Sense Democrat," stating that he did not expect to win, but hoped to raise issues.

In a March 2, 2010 entry on Kausfiles, Kaus announced that he had taken out nomination papers to run in the Senate primary for California against Barbara Boxer.

Kaus finished a distant third in the June 8, 2010 Democratic primary election, with 5.3% of the total vote (or 94,298 votes). Political unknown Brian Quintana took second with 14.2%, while incumbent Barbara Boxer secured 80.5%, ensuring that she would continue on to the general election.

References

  1. "State Bar of CA :: Robert Michael Kaus". Members.calbar.ca.gov. December 22, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  2. Feeney, Matt. "Kausfiles". Slate.com. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  3. Kaus, Mickey (April 21, 1995). The end of equality – Mickey Kaus – Google Books. Basic Books. ISBN 9780465098293. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  4. "kaus files dot com | masthead". Kausfiles.com. December 10, 1994. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  5. Archived December 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Court is feeling the heat on Prop. 8 – Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. November 19, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  7. "San Francisco Attorney: Stephen Kaus". Cwclaw.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  8. "Stephen Kaus". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  9. "Mickey Kaus on How Unions Killed the Democrats, Immigration, New Media, & Bringing the Velvet Underground to Beverly Hills High". June 4, 2010.
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