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Marty Peretz in Full

What the magazine profiles don’t mention

by
Marc Tracy
January 25, 2011
Martin Peretz.(NYT Magazine)
Martin Peretz.(NYT Magazine)

As media criticism, this Gawker post on New Republic owner Martin Peretz, a frequent Scroll subject, is spot-on. (That both the New York and the New York Times Magazinepieces—and believe it or not, both are well worth your time—sent dog-whistles to readers “in the know” is all the more objectionable: These little knowing asides depend on the ideal of exclusive, elite knowledge that is the proper enemy of all good journalism.)

But I’m writing this post mainly because I already barked up this tree, earlier this month, when discussing the late Jewish singer-songwriter Debbie Friedman. Is this the same kind of thing, or not? You tell me.

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.