Jacob Weisberg
Encyclopedia
Jacob Weisberg is an American political journalist
, serving as editor-in-chief of Slate Group, a division of The Washington Post Company. Weisberg is also a Newsweek
columnist. He served as the editor of Slate
magazine for six years, until stepping down in June 2008. He is the son of Lois Weisberg
, a Chicago
social activist and connector celebrated in Malcolm Gladwell
's book The Tipping Point. Weisberg's father, Bernard Weisberg, was a prominent Chicago lawyer and, later, judge. His parents were introduced at a cocktail party by novelist Ralph Ellison
.
Weisberg is a frequent commentator on National Public Radio. He previously worked for The New Republic
in Washington, D.C.
, was a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine
and a contributing editor to Vanity Fair
. He has also served as a columnist for the Financial Times
. Early in his career, he worked for Newsweek
in the London and Washington bureaus. Weisberg has also worked as a freelance
journalist for numerous publications.
The creator and author of the Bushism
s series, Weisberg published The Bush Tragedy
in 2008. He is also the author, with Robert Rubin
, of In An Uncertain World (2003). Weisberg's first book, In Defense of Government, was published in 1996.
Weisberg chaired the judging panel for the 2009 BBC
Samuel Johnson Prize
for excellence in non-fiction writing.
Weisberg graduated from Yale University
in 1986, where he worked for the Yale Daily News
. When a junior, he was offered a membership in Skull and Bones
by Senator John Kerry
, but declined the offer, citing the club's exclusion of women. Instead Weisberg was persuaded by The Washington Posts Robert G. Kaiser
to join Elihu Society
. After Yale he attended New College, Oxford
on a Rhodes Scholarship
.
Weisberg is married to style and fashion journalist Deborah Needleman
, formerly editor of Domino Magazine.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, serving as editor-in-chief of Slate Group, a division of The Washington Post Company. Weisberg is also a Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
columnist. He served as the editor of Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
magazine for six years, until stepping down in June 2008. He is the son of Lois Weisberg
Lois Weisberg
Lois Weisberg was the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs in Chicago, Illinois from 1989 until January 2011. She founded the Chicago Cultural Center and Friends of the Park, and was responsible for the establishment of the renowned Gallery 37 program, which gathered Chicago youths to a vacant block...
, a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
social activist and connector celebrated in Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell, CM is a Canadian journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. He is currently based in New York City and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996...
's book The Tipping Point. Weisberg's father, Bernard Weisberg, was a prominent Chicago lawyer and, later, judge. His parents were introduced at a cocktail party by novelist Ralph Ellison
Ralph Ellison
Ralph Waldo Ellison was an American novelist, literary critic, scholar and writer. He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ellison is best known for his novel Invisible Man, which won the National Book Award in 1953...
.
Weisberg is a frequent commentator on National Public Radio. He previously worked for The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, was a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
and a contributing editor to Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
. He has also served as a columnist for the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
. Early in his career, he worked for Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
in the London and Washington bureaus. Weisberg has also worked as a freelance
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
journalist for numerous publications.
The creator and author of the Bushism
Bushism
Bushisms are unconventional words, phrases, pronunciations, malapropisms, and semantic or linguistic errors that have occurred in the public speaking of former President of the United States George W. Bush and, much less notably, of his father, George H. W. Bush. The term has become part of popular...
s series, Weisberg published The Bush Tragedy
The Bush Tragedy
The Bush Tragedy is a 2008 book by Jacob Weisberg. Weisberg sees George W. Bush’s life, and his presidency, as the product of a series of relationships — with his family, with the two men central to his administration , and with his father. All these relationships, Weisberg argues, contributed to...
in 2008. He is also the author, with Robert Rubin
Robert Rubin
Robert Edward Rubin served as the 70th United States Secretary of the Treasury during both the first and second Clinton administrations. Before his government service, he spent 26 years at Goldman Sachs eventually serving as a member of the Board, and Co-Chairman from 1990-1992...
, of In An Uncertain World (2003). Weisberg's first book, In Defense of Government, was published in 1996.
Weisberg chaired the judging panel for the 2009 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Samuel Johnson Prize
Samuel Johnson Prize
The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction is one of the most prestigious prizes for non-fiction writing. It was founded in 1999 following the demise of the NCR Book Award and based on an anonymous donation. The prize is named after Samuel Johnson...
for excellence in non-fiction writing.
Weisberg graduated from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1986, where he worked for the Yale Daily News
Yale Daily News
The Yale Daily News is an independent student newspaper published by Yale University students in New Haven, Connecticut since January 28, 1878...
. When a junior, he was offered a membership in Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
by Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, but declined the offer, citing the club's exclusion of women. Instead Weisberg was persuaded by The Washington Posts Robert G. Kaiser
Robert G. Kaiser
Robert G. Kaiser is associate editor and senior correspondent of The Washington Post, where he has worked since 1963.-Career:Kaiser began at The Washington Post as a summer intern while still a college student. He has served as a special correspondent in London , a reporter on the city desk in...
to join Elihu Society
Elihu (secret society)
Elihu, founded in 1903, is the sixth oldest secret society at Yale University, New Haven, CT. While similar to Skull and Bones, Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head societies in charter and function, Elihu favors privacy over overt secrecy...
. After Yale he attended New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
on a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
.
Weisberg is married to style and fashion journalist Deborah Needleman
Deborah Needleman
Deborah Needleman was the founding editor in chief of domino magazine. Launched by Condé Nast Publications in Spring 2005, domino is a style magazine centered on the home...
, formerly editor of Domino Magazine.
External links
- Short bio of Weisberg – Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government
- Video (and audio) debate/conversation with Jacob Weisberg and David FrumDavid FrumDavid J. Frum is a Canadian American journalist active in both the United States and Canadian political arenas. A former economic speechwriter for President George W. Bush, he is also the author of the first "insider" book about the Bush presidency...
on Bloggingheads.tvBloggingheads.tvBloggingheads.tv is a political, world events, philosophy, and science video blog discussion site in which the participants take part in an active back and forth conversation via webcam which is then broadcast online to viewers...