![]() While some praised Shalit for raising important issues much whispered about but rarely explored in print, the young writer also became the target of intense criticism, particularly from Post Publisher Donald Graham and Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr., who accused her of "racial McCarthyism." The 13,000-word article charged that the Post had lowered hiring standards in an attempt to diversify its newsroom and had softened news coverage of black politicians so as not to offend African American readers. But none of this prepared her for the intensity of the reaction to her October 2 New Republic cover story on race relations at the Washington Post. She found herself charged with slanting facts to fit her theories. Along the way she plagiarized in at least two highly publicized instances – by accident, she says (see Bylines, September). Obviously smart, a writer with insight and flair, Shalit, 25, flew up the ladder – but not without stumbling. Practically overnight she became a star – a TNR associate editor writing cover stories for the political weekly as well as for the New York Times Sunday magazine, with a $45,000-a-year contract to do pieces for GQ. Soon after graduating from Princeton Phi Beta Kappa in 1992, Ruth Shalit began interning at The New Republic. Shepard is a former AJR senior writer and NPR ombudsman. She hopes there are second acts in journalism.Īlicia C. But now she finds her career tarnished by plagiarism, factual errors and sharp criticism of her article on race and the Washington Post. Success came early for The New Republic's 25-year-old Ruth Shalit.
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