2. Sullivan is a complicated figure, one I've had many arguments over with friends. I want to discuss the good and the bad.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
3. Let's start with the good. As far as I know, he was the first openly gay editor of a national American magazine, at least a political.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
4. Sullivan's role in pushing gay marriage to the front of the national agenda is important, although it needs some specification.
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5. Contra his uncritical celebrators, Sullivan wasn't the main force for marriage equality, which came from gay activist community he hated
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6. On marriage equality, Sullivan's achievement was he frame issue in way that made it palatable for centrist and center-right
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7. The energy for marriage came from activists left, but path to victory made easier by acceptance of people like Walter Olson & GOP judges
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8. People like Walter Olson & GOP judges amenable to Sullivan's conservative framing of marriage equality. Winning them was his achievement
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Replying to @HeerJeet
9. As editor of TNR, Sullivan was pretty close to being a disaster, with a few saving graces.
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10. Saving graces of Sullivan as TNR editor: giving
@JohnBJudis a job, making magazine livelier, with broader cultural range.1 reply 2 retweets 4 likes -
Replying to @HeerJeet
11. Downside of Sullivan's TNR tenure: he followed British journalist tradition of carrying more for being provocative than being honest.
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12. To be fair, Sullivan did want to make TNR place for debate which is why he hired both lefty Judis and Michael Lind (then a conservative)
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Replying to @HeerJeet
13. But the love of provocation meant publishing stuff like The Bell Curve excerpt or Betsy McCaughey's "No Exit" (on health care)
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Replying to @HeerJeet
14. TNR also published good rebuttals to Bell Curve & No Exit, but damage was already done: TNR publication legitimized dishonest arguments
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