Washington Post hires conservative blogger

The Washington Post boasts some of the top liberal bloggers, such as Ezra Klein and Greg Sargent. Now the paper's bringing a conservative into the blog stable.

The Post has hired Jennifer Rubin, previously with Commentary magazine, to launch a new blog next month that "will provide critical news coverage and commentary, with an exacting eye on conservative policy-making and Republican campaigns, pundits and politicians," according to a memo obtained by The Cutline.

David Weigel wrote a blog on the conservative movement until June, when private emails surfaced in which he was harshly critical of some leaders on the right. He resigned over the flap.

But Weigel, now at Slate, didn't write his blog from a conservative perspective as Rubin is expected to do--even if some readers, and Post managers, thought he would be doing so. Another difference: Weigel was on the national staff, whereas Rubin and Sargent fall on the opinion side of the paper.

The memo on Rubin's hire from Post editorial page editor Fred Hiatt is after the jump.

I'm delighted to announce that Jennifer Rubin will be joining The Post with the launch of a new blog next month. Jennifer will provide critical news coverage and commentary, with an exacting eye on conservative policy-making and Republican campaigns, pundits and politicians. From a conservative perspective, she also will cover a wide range of foreign and domestic issues and media controversies. We imagine her blog in some ways as a companion to Greg Sargent's Plum Line, though of course with its own style and blend of reporting and analysis. With a Republican majority moving into the House and the 2012 Republican primary cycle gearing up, there couldn't be a better time to bring Jennifer's fresh perspective and insightful reporting to our readers.

Jennifer comes to The Post from Commentary Magazine where, as contributing editor and chief blogger, provocative writing has become "must read" material for news and policy makers and avid political watchers. Her work has also appeared in the Weekly Standard, Politico, the New York Post, the New York Daily News, the National Review, the Jerusalem Post and numerous other print and online publications. Before her career in journalism, Jennifer was a labor and employment lawyer in Los Angeles for 20 years.

Fred Hiatt