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Revision as of 04:19, 28 July 2006 by Makgraf (talk | contribs) (rv, again)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Mickey Kaus is a journalist and author best known form writing Kausfiles, a "mostly political" blog featured on Slate.com. Kaus is the author of The End of Equality and had previously worked as a journalist for Newsweek, The New Republic and Washington Monthly. Kaus attended Harvard Law School but has never practiced law. He has a brother, Stephen Kaus, who is a lawyer and occasional commentator on The Huffington Post. Kaus currently resides in Venice Beach, CA.
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 is most notable for its interior monologues including the ruse of a non-existent editor. Media critic James Wolcott, in his book Attack Poodles and Other Media Mutants, uses 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 or, frequently, common sense, for the sole purpose of marvelling in his own cleverness. Kaus has identified himself as neoliberal. 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: Krugman, DeLong)
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, and CNN President Jonathan Klein.
The blog also comments on the automotive industry, and Kaus irregularly files automotive-centric "Gearbox" columns on Slate.
Radio
Kaus also attempted to transition to radio, making occasional contributions to the Slate/NPR show "Day to Day."
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. Kaus and Wright trade off from time to time with other bloggers and authors, discussing the headlines and latest developments and making predictions.
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."
Although purportedly somewhat liberal, Kaus is friends with controversial conservative pundit Ann Coulter, which has caused public friction between Kaus and Wright.
Further reference
- The Kausfiles blog
- Bloggingheads, Kaus's video discussions with Robert Wright
- Annotated copy of LA Times feature on Mickey Kaus