David Weigel
David Weigel | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 26, 1981 Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, columnist |
| Years active | 2000s–present |
| Known for | Political reporting and commentary |
David Weigel (born September 26, 1981) is an American journalist and columnist currently associated with the news platform Semafor. His prior experience includes political reporting for The Washington Post, Slate, and Bloomberg Politics. Additionally, he holds the position of contributing editor at Reason magazine.
Early life and education
Originating from Wilmington, Delaware, Weigel spent his early years there before relocating to England in 1998. He completed his secondary education at the American Community School in Cobham, Surrey, within the London commuter area, graduating in 2000.
Following this, he moved to Evanston, Illinois where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 2004 from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. His academic focus combined journalism and political science as a double major, complemented by a minor in history. During his university tenure, Weigel contributed to The Daily Northwestern and was editor-in-chief of the conservative student publication Northwestern Chronicle. In the summer of 2001, he completed an internship at the libertarian organization Center for Individual Rights.
Political orientation
In the 2000 U.S. presidential election, Weigel cast his vote for Ralph Nader and acted as a Delaware elector supporting Nader. By May 2002, Dan Murtaugh—then a writer for The Daily Northwestern and now with Bloomberg—observed Weigel’s significant political shift after he was rejected by The Daily and subsequently joined The Chronicle. By February 2003, while leading as editor-in-chief of Northwestern Chronicle, Weigel endorsed the Iraq War and notably interrupted an anti-war demonstration on campus.
During the 2004 election cycle, he supported John Kerry at the polls, later expressing regret solely over his earlier Nader vote. In that year’s Illinois Republican Senate primary, he voted for Jack Ryan. By early 2007, Weigel had registered as a Republican voter in Washington, D.C., intending to support Ron Paul in the 2008 Republican presidential primary. However, in the general election of 2008, he chose Barack Obama, citing apprehensions about John McCain’s temperament and legislative approach.
By January 2011, Weigel confirmed consistent voting for Republican Patrick Mara in D.C. Council races. During the 2012 Republican primaries, he cast his ballot for Jon Huntsman Jr., commending some of Huntsman’s policy positions despite his eventual withdrawal. In the 2012 general election, Weigel supported Gary Johnson.
Professional trajectory
Weigel’s career commenced as an editorial assistant and researcher on the editorial page of USA Today and as a reporter for Campaigns & Elections. His writings have appeared across numerous outlets including Slate, The Daily Beast, Time, The Guardian, The American Prospect, The American Spectator, The Washington Monthly, The American Conservative, Politico, and The Nation. He has been featured on NPR's program Fresh Air as well as on MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. Furthermore, Weigel contributed to The Economist's "Democracy in America" blog and guest-blogged for Andrew Sullivan’s "Daily Dish" hosted by The Atlantic. His book titled The Show That Never Ends: The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock was released in June 2017.
Serving as a contributing editor at libertarian publication Reason, Weigel was part of their political writing staff from 2006 through 2008. Between late 2008 and early 2010, he wrote for the liberal outlet Washington Independent, where he earned recognition as one of its most well-connected reporters.
Tenure at The Washington Post
Following his period at the Washington Independent, Weigel authored the "Right Now" column on the website of the Washington Post, concentrating on conservative politics. He was recruited by the national editor to infuse a distinctive perspective into online political coverage that combined elements of reporting with opinion analysis.
In May 2010, Weigel attracted criticism from conservative circles due to tweets disparaging news editor Matt Drudge and labeling opponents of same-sex marriage as "bigots". This provoked controversy because it conflicted with The Washington Post's editorial standards aimed at preserving journalistic integrity. He issued an immediate apology addressing these remarks.
Controversy over leaked emails
In June 2010, private communications from JournoList—a private liberal forum initiated by Ezra Klein—were leaked publicly. These emails revealed Weigel’s disparaging comments about conservative figures such as Pat Buchanan, Matt Drudge, Newt Gingrich, and Rush Limbaugh. Although these messages were sent prior to his employment at The Post, their disclosure resulted in his resignation due to The Post's strict policy against perceived bias. Following this incident, Ezra Klein shut down JournoList.
Weigel accepted accountability for his candid tone within a private context but acknowledged its impact. Observers noted that his blog appeared designed to portray conservatives unfavorably. Klein characterized Weigel as an unconventional libertarian holding diverse political views.
Post-Washington Post developments
In mid-2010, Weigel became a contributor for MSNBC. Despite losing his blogging position at The Post because of the email controversy, this transition expanded his public profile. By August 2010, he joined Slate magazine as a political reporter where he continued covering conservative politics and produced extended journalistic pieces including a series about progressive rock music.
In September 2014, Weigel departed Slate to become part of Bloomberg Politics.
Return to The Washington Post
After spending nine months with Bloomberg Politics, Weigel rejoined The Washington Post in July 2015 with a focus on grassroots activities within presidential campaigns. In 2018 he initiated a newsletter titled The Trailer, which concentrates on electoral politics.
In December 2017, Weigel posted a photograph on Twitter showing empty seats at one of President Donald Trump’s rallies; however, he deleted it after it was pointed out that the image was captured before attendees arrived. Trump publicly called for his dismissal; Weigel subsequently apologized for the incident.
In June 2022, The Post suspended him without pay for one month after retweeting a joke perceived as sexist towards women; he removed the retweet and issued an apology. This episode attracted internal criticism within the organization.
Semafor
Weigel exited The Washington Post in September 2022 to join the newly formed news startup Semafor, which officially launched in October that year. At Semafor, he authors the newsletter titled Americana, focusing on national political affairs.
Personal information
As reported in a 2006 article, Weigel once shared a residence dubbed "Casa de Libertarios" with fellow Reason.com writer Julian Sanchez. He currently resides in Los Angeles.