Former Bush Campaign Web Manager Joins 'Wash Times'

By: Joe Strupp Chuck DeFeo, a veteran online manager most recently working at TownHall.com and a former Bush-Cheney campaign staffer, has been named general manager of interactive and social media for The Washington Times.

Executive Editor John Solomon and Managing Editor-Digital Jeffrey H. Birnbaum announced the appointment today in a release. "Chuck is one of the country's most influential and insightful web site managers and we're thrilled to have him here at The Times," Solomon said in a statement. "He has the vision and creative smarts to develop the next generation of products that will merge social networking and blogging into an innovative, new experience for web users."

?There?s nobody better on the Internet business and management side than Chuck,? Birnbaum added. ?He is a fabulous new part of our team.?

"DeFeo will oversee WashingtonTimes.com's growing communities section as well as new web sites now under development at The Washington Times," the release said. "An announcement about his newest project will be made soon."

"The new leadership of The Washington Times has brought the kind of vision, energy and ideas that every media company in America is looking for to compete in this changing environment," DeFeo said in a statement. "I am excited to be a member of the team that will continue to bring one of America's most respected brands to a new and growing number of readers, viewers, and listeners online."

Prior to joining The Times, DeFeo was vice president and general manager of Townhall.com. In 2004, he served as Ecampaign manager for the Bush-Cheney ?04 re-election campaign, the release said.