JOHN ELLIS calls Howell Raines’ banishment of Andrew Sullivan from the NYT Magazine “idiotic,” but notes:

This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the Raines regime. The Rainesian management model resembles a kind of anti-network; in which an ever-smaller number of people are engaged in the guidance and definition of the enterprise. As the network narrows, the center (Raines and his management team) grows in importance. At its worst, this kind of management leads to the Sun God management system, in which The Great Leader is surrounded by adoring sycophants. Raines is a prime candidate to fall into this trap, since his ego needs greatly exceed his management skills.

Ouch! I can’t speak to Raines’ management skills except to note that the Times seems to be getting steadily smugger, sloppier, and more biased. Of course, it may just be that I’m paying closer attention.