Yesterday we learned that Gregg Birnbaum, the political editor of the New York Post, quit after a fight with his boss, editor Col Allan. Today, AdWeek digs in to find out what happened. Apparently, Col was out of the office through the latter half of Monday and therefore missed the announcement of Obama’s latest tax deal. Later he called into the office and ordered his staff to rip up the paper and expand the story package. On the phone, Allan ripped Birnbaum a new one for not briefing him fully on the story. “Allan was apparently the only editor in the country who was unaware on Monday evening that Obama agreed to extend the Bush tax cuts for two years,” a source at the Post said. “This, despite the fact that it was in the lead of our story being prepared for publication; despite the fact the President had done a presser carried live by every cable outlet; and despite the fact that it was in the lede of all the wire stories; and was all over various Web sites.” Sounds like Birnbaum wasn’t the only unhappy camper.
New Details Emerge About Editor Birnbaum’s Hasty Exit From Post [AdWeek]
