this news made BBB's day: Kristol Cut at 'NYT': Last Column Appears Today

Glad to see him go. He was particularly hacky. William Safire, David Brooks -- they do or have made me think, make good points, seem like they're TRYING at least. Kristol totally phoned it in.

Kristol Bawl: An 'Appreciation' As Column Ends at 'NYT'
By Greg Mitchell - E & P
January 26, 2009

He gave us many belly laughs, several glaring errors to point out, some choice takedowns by Jon Stewart -- and Sarah Palin, who doomed McCain.

As you surely know by now, Bill Kristol wrote his final column today for The New York Times, sparing the paper any further embarrassment. But, as usual, he did not spare us all a good belly laugh: The news of his demise came in a brief tagline at the end of a column that, amazingly, opened, "All good things must come to end." It's about the alleged end of a golden conservative era.

A fitting end for a column that often made The Times read like The Onion.

Let's recall some of the highlights of his one-year (plus two weeks) reign, as chronicled in my new book, "Why Obama Won":

-- His very first column earned a correction, when he misattributed a Michael Medved quote to Michelle Malkin.

-- Who can forget when he told Jon Stewart he was getting wrong information because he was relying too much on....The New York Times. Stewart replied: "But you work for The New York Times, Bill!"

-- He touted, of all people, Clarence Thomas as a GOP vice-presidential candidate. Or, as the sage wrote of McCain, "He could persuade the msot impressive conservative in American public life, Clarence Thomas, to join the ticket." Persuasive? How can you be persuasive when you never speak?

-- Later, smitten with Sarah Palin during a brief cruise stopover in Alaska, he pushed her for Veep, publicly and privately. Then he lobbied for McCain to let Palin be Palin, or as he urged: "Hockey Mom Knows Best." So we have Kristol partly to thank for McCain's single worst blunder and a real game-changer (though not as he intended) in the fall campaign.

So, for the laughs and all the rest, a tip of our cap to you, Mr. Kristol! And don't let the door hit you on the way out. We'll see you soon at The Washington Post.