Who Are the Best Conservative Columnists?

Pajamas Media ^ | 12/05/2012 | dave Swindle

[SeekAndFind]

Who Are the Best Conservative Columnists?

Posted By Dave Swindle On December 5, 2012 @ 11:00 am In Conservatism,Ideology,Writing | 92 Comments

This week my friend John Hawkins released his annual ranking of the 50 best conservative columnists. A very generous guy, John included me on the list. And ahead of George Will too!

I wonder, though: what does it mean to be a columnist today?

I’m a traditionalist on the definition. Merriam-Webster claims that it’s “one who writes a newspaper or magazine column.”

Well, what qualifies as a column? The defining characteristics, which I invite others to dispute or refine in the comments: A) a regular appearance usually either weekly or bi-weekly, B) a standard word count in the range of 600-1500 words, and C) usually with a focus on opinion, analysis, or entertainment — not “objective,” fly-on-the-wall journalism.

But that’s the Old School understanding I learned in journalism classes in the pre-blogosphere days. Now in the New Media era a “column” counts as any piece of writing and “columnist” doubles for “writer.” And that’s fine — language evolves and we only gain so much from playing the semantics game. Here at PJ Media we call our all-star team of writers “Columnists” even though the content they produce ranges across the spectrum from blog posts to journalistic articles to traditional op/ed columns to extended essays on to Ed Driscoll’s podcasts and Zombie’s unforgettable photos.

But the truth is that the name does still fit for most of the PJ Columnists, and pressed to answer John’s challenge to provide “YOUR LIST of the best conservative columnists” I’d have to actually create two, the first of those I edit now and the second of those I wouldn’t mind editing someday. The 10 PJ columnists who predominantly write on a regular basis in the “newspaper column” style, of a 600-1500+ word, opinionated, elegantly stylized analysis (in no ranked order):

Roger L. Simon, Barry Rubin, Andrew Klavan, Roger Kimball, Michael Walsh, Andrew C. McCarthy, Claudia Rosett, David P. Goldman, Victor Davis Hanson, and Michael Ledeen

The other PJ Columnists I’d classify as top-tier bloggers (Stephen Green, Ed Driscoll, Helen Smith and Blog Father Glenn Reynolds) and deep essayists (Ron Radosh and Ion Mihai Pacepa.) J. Christian Adams’s Rule of Law, Richard Fernandez’s Belmont Club, and the mysterious Zombie transcend categorization in their own unique ways — the three of them have each taken the tools of New Media to innovate their own new mediums.

So about that second list… I decided to take John’s list and A) edit it down to my top 10 choices, B) re-order counting down to the best, C) throw on 5 more conservative columnists I adore who John neglected to include.

But here’s the problem: I’m fairly confident about the ranking of only the top 2. I could see legitimate reasons for why one should rank higher or lower than others.

So for my top 20 list of Best Conservative Columnists (forthcoming soon here at PJ Lifestyle) I thought I’d first hear the arguments of others about A) who should go where, B) which five additional columnists deserve inclusion, and C) if anyone I’ve already selected does not warrant placement.

Weighing who goes where requires juggling multiple factors:

1. Strength of prose.
2. Originality of voice and personality.
3. Quality, creativity, and effectiveness of arguments.
4. Is the column really their best medium?
5. Consistency of quality. (A great columnist needs to be strong every week — they can’t constantly hit or miss.)
6. Impact they have on shaping both the current debates and conservative thought.

So here’s version 1 of the list. (I’ve put John’s ranking in parentheses after their name if they appeared on his list.)

15. Seth Mandel (not included)

14. Jonathan V. Last (not included)

13. Sean Trende (16)

12. Frank Gaffney (not included)

11. Ben Shapiro (20)

10. Walter Williams (6)

9. Jonah Goldberg (5)

8. Michael Barone (14)

7. Charles Krauthammer (17)

6. Daniel Pipes (not included)

5. Dennis Prager (13)

4. Mark Steyn (1)

3. Stanley Kurtz (not included)

2. Thomas Sowell (2)

1. Ann Coulter (4)

As stated, I’m not planning on budging on my last two choices — and will make my arguments in the completed list. But if anyone would like to make the case against Thomas Sowell and Ann Coulter as the Conservative Movement’s two top writing MVPs, then by all means…

[FreedomPoster]

Ouch, sorry to hear that Laz.

We should do lunch some time.

[TChris]

Steyn, Sowell, Coulter

[thackney]

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

- - - - -

There are those that read the above, and are concerned that God has promised them trouble.

I’ve been down enough miles to recognize, living in the world, and not of the world, was already a promise of trouble along the way.

God promised us he would be with us in those troubles, if we only let him in.

- - - - -

If John 16:33 speaks to you now, I suggest starting with 16:28 and reading through the end of 17. For me, this is what it is all about. John 3:16 may show the proof of God’s love for us, but 16:28-17 is why that happened.

[Responsibility2nd]

Holy Crap People. What's wrong with you all?

Over 42 replies and no one has mentioned the best of the best?

 

Pat Buchanan

 

Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American conservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician, and broadcaster. Wikipedia

 

[CatherineofAragon]

Hey, Laz,

I was wondering why you hadn’t written any editorials lately. Now I understand.

You aren’t the only one. I’ve been depressed, as well.....I think the sadness is because I don’t recognize this country anymore. It’s like November 6 picked us all up and dropped us into an alien nation.

For me, I’m not as bad as I was, but I still can’t shake it altogether. I’m going to pray you get better, as well. Hang in there.....and thank God for FR. It’s an island of sanity.

Love ya

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Pat Buchanan

As long as he stays off the protectionism and isolationism stuff, I’d agree.

[MayflowerMadam]

Re “core-level depression”. Ditto from our house. I don’t think I breathed for two days. (Obviously, I did; I’m here.) Then I cried for two days. For us, hope and joy are missing, at least for the time being. Can’t even think about decorating, or shopping, for Christmas.

Some focus on their children’s chains in the future. More than that, I grieve for our ancestors’ sacrifices, and how there is no respect for them. People under 50 have no idea what they did to put together a country that was so amazing for over 200 years.

[TADSLOS]

Don’t let the liberal bastards live rent free inside your head, Laz.

[no-to-illegals]

Don’t make me do it! Cause I will!

[gunnyg]

http://www.lewrockwell.com/columnists.html

[houeto]

Thanks for the ping Laz. I suppose there are millions of us sharing some of your emotions.

-houeto.

[luvie]

Hope things improve for you. I feel the same way...probably not to the same extent. I have been angry and sad at the same time since the election.

Hang in there, Laz! (((hugs)))

[Old Sarge]

Lazz my boy, what of Rage Monkey? Surely his voice is not also stilled?

[Old Sarge]

There is no way the words “conservative” and “columnist” are to be used when mentioning Annie the Trannie.

[cyn]

Promise!

[Yardstick]

I was reading one of Buchanan’s recent columns and thinking about how good he is.

[cyn]

Besides that profound truth, I’m thinkin’ ...

***RAGE MONKEY!!!!*** would do us all good.

I hereby nominate him in the top 145 columnists (hear, hear!) and hope to see another very soon. Sure would help me to rage a bit!

[Political Junkie Too]

Before Steyn, I really liked Michael Kelly. Kelly chose to be an embedded reporter in Iraq and was killed in a vehicle attack.

-PJ

[TheConservativeParty]

I know how you feel, Laz.
It took me a whole month from Nov.6th, to even begin to see improvement in my mourning mode. I still haven’t had a good laugh. We feel the sadness because we understand the gravity of the situation and that it may not ever be able to be turned around and corrected. The vote fraud is what makes me the most angry. I believe this election was stolen by planned vote machine manipulation along with the usual means of dem fraud.

We lived through the first 4 years of hell, and now there’s another crap sandwich with no cheese for the next 4 years.

There are mid-term elections in 2014. It’s a dim light of hope, but it’s there.

We have to retain our Governor Scott Walker that year. If we lose him, Wisconsin is done for.

I have been listening to Christian talk radio since before the election. I find that keeping my mind focused on my faith has been very helpful in raising my head from the desk and looking towards eternity, being grateful that I am saved by Grace. This life will pass quickly and eternity in paradise awaits. That’s what keeps me from ending it all. Faith and faith alone.

[Loud Mime]

Coulter defined the difference between the patriots and the egoists. The patriots chose Romney over Obama.