Friedman, Broder: Editors' Faves

By: Dave Astor Op-Ed columnists have had no shortage of things to write about during the past two years: Sept. 11. The disputed presidential election. The seemingly endless Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

So, who among America's syndicated scribes has offered the best commentary during this period? E&P contacted about three-dozen editors -- mostly of the editorial-page variety -- and the names they mentioned most often were no surprise: Thomas Friedman, followed closely by David Broder.

Editors said of Friedman, the 2002 Pulitzer Prize winner for commentary who writes for The New York Times and New York Times News Service (NYTNS):

* "[He] has far and away become the most significant columnist in the last year because of his knowledge of the Middle East and his ability to translate that knowledge in a way that is accessible to the average reader" -- Lynnell Burkett, editorial page editor, San Antonio (Texas) Express-News.

* "Friedman's extensive knowledge of the Middle East and his access to world leaders allow him to write with clarity and authority on a wide range of issues" -- Keven Ann Willey, editorial page editor, The Arizona Republic, Phoenix.

* [He offers] depth of knowledge, historical context, original reporting, clear point of view, and mostly straightforward writing" -- Susan Nielsen, associate editor, The Oregonian, Portland.

* "Friedman's expertise in Arab-Israeli matters is newly relevant with developments in that region somewhat tied to 9/11" -- Michael McGough, editorial page editor, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Comments about Broder, of The Washington Post and Washington Post Writers Group (WPWG), included:

* "[He] is tops when it comes to analyzing domestic politics. His lack of sizzle and flash is an asset -- he's a reporter at heart, and builds the case for each of his arguments on a foundation of fact" -- Jackman Wilson, editorial page editor, The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore.

* "He has better work habits than most other columnists, who tend to do rewrite jobs on books, think-tank papers, and news stories, as opposed to going out and bringing back something original" -- Don Porter, editorial page editor, Ogden, Utah, Standard-Examiner.

* "What Broder brings to his column, and what's sadly lacking in those by so many other pundits, is good old-fashioned reporting" -- James Casto, associate editor, The Herald-Dispatch, Huntington, W.Va.

Editors also praised 14 other columnists, including Leonard Pitts Jr. of The Miami Herald and Tribune Media Services. "Long after the shock [of Sept. 11] wore off and the realization of the task ahead was apparent, Pitts kept his columns relevant and accessible to readers," said Sandra Roberts, managing editor/opinion, The Tennessean, Nashville.

Other names cited by at least one editor included William Pfaff of TMS; Alexander Cockburn and Molly Ivins of Creators Syndicate; Jan Jarboe Russell and Maria Elena Salinas of King Features Syndicate; Maureen Dowd and Nicholas Kristof of NYTNS; and Marie Cocco, E.J. Dionne, Ellen Goodman, Jim Hoagland, Charles Krauthammer, and George Will of WPWG.