Todd Gitlin: “Bobos unimpressed by Paul Krugman’s crusades will relish (David) Brooks’ new appointment as an op-ed columnist at The New York Times. Stationed at column right, he’s likely to outlast William Safire, whose career-long cover-up exercises on behalf of Richard Nixon, Ariel Sharon and various intelligence sources have made no small contribution to Republican morale over his 30 years on the page (though Safire has also broken ranks to display a tender spot for civil liberties). Brooks, despite his Washington years, probably won’t channel insider talk with Safire’s gusto. What besides good fun can he bring to his coveted niche?” The American Prospect