Michael Kinsley
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Michael Kinsley (born March 9, 1951 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American political journalist, commentator, and television host. Primarily active in print media as both a writer and editor, he also became known to television audiences as a co-host on Crossfire. Kinsley has been a notable participant in the mainstream media's development of online content.
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[edit] Early life
Kinsley attended the Cranbrook Kingswood School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, then was graduated from Harvard University in 1972. At Harvard, Kinsley served as vice president of the University's daily newspaper, The Harvard Crimson. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship and studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, then returned to Harvard for law school. While still a third-year law student, he began working at The New Republic and finished his Juris Doctor degree in the evening program at The George Washington University Law School.
Michael Kinsley's first exposure to a national television audience was as moderator of William Buckley's Firing Line. In 1979 Kinsley became editor of The New Republic and wrote that magazine's TRB column for most of the 1980s and 1990s. That column was also reprinted in a variety of newspaper op-ed pages, including the Washington Post, and made Kinsley's reputation as a leading political commentator. Kinsley also served as editor at Harper's (for a year and a half in the early 1980s), managing editor of Washington Monthly (in the mid-seventies, while still in school), and American Editor of The Economist (a short-term, honorary position, roughly akin to a sabbatical for an academic).
[edit] Crossfire and Slate
In 1989, Kinsley agreed to take a position on CNN's Crossfire, co-hosting with conservative Pat Buchanan. Representing the liberal or left-wing position in the televised political debates, Kinsley combined a dry wit with nerdy demeanour and deft analytical skills. The six years he remained on the show are considered by many fans as Crossfire's best years.
Kinsley appeared in three movies during those years - Rising Sun (1993), Dave (1993), and The Birdcage (1996).
After leaving Crossfire, Kinsley returned to his editorial roots, relocating to Seattle and taking a position with Microsoft as the founding editor of its online journal Slate. In 1999 he was named "Editor of the Year" by the Columbia Journalism Review. Kinsley stepped down from Slate in 2002, shortly after disclosing that he suffers from Parkinson's Disease. At the same time, he married Patty Stonesifer, president of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
[edit] Los Angeles Times and Guardian
Kinsley next moved to the Los Angeles Times as the Editorial Page Editor in April 2004. Kinsley maintained his Seattle residence and often worked from there, commuting to Los Angeles on a part-time basis. During his tenure, Kinsley tried to overhaul the paper's editorial page and led an abortive experiment with a Wikitorial, while also receiving criticism from USC professor and feminist advocate Susan Estrich, alleging the lack of editorials written by women. After a falling out with the publisher[1] Kinsley announced his departure in September 2005. He continues to write a weekly column which appears in the Washington Post and Slate Magazine. He is currently American Editor of The Guardian.
On July 12, 2006 Kinsley underwent a form of surgery known as deep brain stimulation, to treat his Parkinsonism. Initial reports suggest that the operation was a success. According to Time Magazine, Kinsley's first words out of the operating room were, "Well, of course, when you cut taxes, government revenues go up. Why couldn't I see that before?"[2]
[edit] External links
Categories: 1951 births | Living people | American columnists | CNN people | American online publication editors | Cranbrook Alumni | George Washington University alumni | Harvard University alumni | Los Angeles Times people | Parkinson's disease sufferers | People from Detroit | People from Seattle
