The Washington Spectator is a twice-monthly, independent political periodical with a circulation of 60,000, published by The Public Concern Foundation. It was founded by Tristram Coffin in 1971 as Washington Watch[1], and became The Washington Spectator in 1974.[2]
The current editor-in-chief is Lou Dubose,[3] who assumed the editorship in 2007. Dubose is the author of Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency and co-author, with Molly Ivins, of the books Bushwhacked: Life in George Bush’s America, Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush, and Bill of Wrongs: The Executive Branch's Assault on America's Fundamental Rights. The current publisher is Hamilton Fish.[4]
Besides Coffin and current editor Dubose, former editors include Ben A. Franklin, who helmed the periodical from 1993 to 2005.[5] In the early 1990s, the Spectator distinguished itself with reporting on the sexual assault scandals of Oregon Senator Robert Packwood, who resigned his office in 1995. [6]
Generally, every issue covers a single topic--most often, one that is not receiving sufficient coverage in the mainstream media outlets.
Recent employees include David Weigel, a reporter who specializes in right-wing fringe politics and currently works for Slate and MSNBC. Former publisher Kevin Walter now serves as associate publisher of Mother Jones magazine.[7] Phillip Frazer has also served as publisher of the Spectator.