May 5, 2004

| Because Really, Who Has a Toothed Wheel These Days? >>

Matt and I have discussed before the tremendous challenge that newspaper columnists face: They have to write something interesting and worthwhile, 800 words or so, twice a week. Most fail completely. And I mean, there’s no shame in that (well, okay, there’s a little shame); it’s quite a task.

How then does Nicholas Kristof of the NYT write rad columns week after week?

Ah, yes. Reporting.

Kristof is in Iran this week.

By comparison, his page-mate William Safire is, er, imagining what Ariel Sharon is thinking. What? Is that even allowed?

Well, whatever. Kudos to Kristof for using the flexibility of the op-ed space not merely to pontificate, but also to post dispatches from the real world — with a personal touch.

(And I’ll point out, as I have before, that Kristof is traveling with Naka Nathaniel, an NYTimes.com photojournalist and web producer. So he scores points for that, too. Can you tell I basically want to be Nick Kristof?)