Type of site Online magazine Website www.thefederalist.com | Available in English | |
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Created by Ben DomenechSean Davis Editor David HarsanyiMollie Hemingway Slogan(s) Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray. | ||
The Federalist is an English-language online magazine that covers politics, policy, culture, and religion. The site was co-founded by Ben Domenech and Sean Davis and launched in September 2013. Domenech serves as publisher of The Federalist.
Contents
According to Domenech, the site is dedicated to discussing "the philosophical underpinnings of the day's debate" instead of focusing on what he calls "the horserace or the personalities". The Federalist has been described as influential in conservative and libertarian circles.
The Federalist also publishes The Transom, a newsletter aimed at political insiders.
History
The Federalist was co-founded by Ben Domenech and Sean Davis; senior editors include David Harsanyi and Mollie Hemingway.
Domenech wrote that The Federalist was inspired by the mission and worldview of the original Time magazine, which he described as, "[leaning] to the political right, with a small-c conservatism equipped with a populist respect for the middle class reader outside of New York and Washington, and an abiding love for America at a time when snark and cynicism were not considered substitutes for smart analysis."
Neil deGrasse Tyson controversy
In late 2014, The Federalist attracted media coverage when it published articles saying that Neil deGrasse Tyson misquoted George W. Bush in some of his public appearances. Conservative writers cited the story to criticize Tyson over the misquotes. Mollie Hemingway characterized the internet reaction to the articles as "deeply negative" and "dismissive" of its conclusions, saying reactions to the articles were "cult-like."
Reception
Writer and former Obama administration spokesman Reid Cherlin describes The Federalist as "seek[ing] to go deep on the issues and sway the conversation in Washington." Matt K. Lewis of The Week wrote that conservative online media was divided between "staid, august publications" and "a new generation of irreverent sites", and that "[s]ites like The Federalist try to bridge the gap by providing serious commentary that is typically written by young, pop culture–savvy writers."
David Weigel from Bloomberg Politics said that Rand Paul and Mike Lee "gave the site news-making looks at their agendas for foreign policy and Congress, respectively."