Kickin' Ass Doyle McManus May Need To Convince Himself Of His Own Words

Bravado by L.A. Times Washington Bureau Chief May Be Difficult To Pull Off

Among yesterday's comments about Dean Baquet becoming The New York Times' Washington bureau chief and an assistant managing editor, came these saucy words from Doyle McManus (above), D.C. bureau head honcho for Baquet's former employer, The Los Angeles Times.

[T]o quote one of our most incisive newsroom philosophers -- we'll just go out and kick their ass. We've done it before; we can do it again.

Not to take anything away from the L.A. Times and the often-estimable work of its bureau, but judging by the way Tribune keeps cutting -- especially with the increasing unlikelihood of a sale anytime soon -- and it will become increasingly difficult to plant a foot on the gluteus maximus of Baquet & Co.

Right now, the bureau is chock-full of correspondents who have largely been insulated from the worst of the pain inflicted on the editorial staff as the Times' circulation continues to shrink. That could very well change. Hopefully, McManus knows something we don't. In any event. we wish him and his charges luck.

As he knows first-hand, Dean Baquet plays for keeps.