Why Is Times Executive Editor Bill Keller in Iran?
Starting Saturday, New York Times executive editor Bill Keller has been filing reports from Tehran, where last week’s dubious election results have caused rioting and widespread protests. He’s written an account of reactions on the street, and co-bylined an analysis of what Ahmadinejad’s victory will mean for his future rule. It’s highly unusual for a senior editor to insert himself into a massive breaking story like this. Top Times masthead members will occasionally contribute to the various sections of the paper (managing editor Jill Abramson wrote a book review in March, for example, and Rick Berke has been known to write movie reviews), but even Keller only tends to do so a couple of times a year, and never — since his appointment in 2003 — news stories from the ground. Staffers at the Times, in fact, were startled and confused to see his name beside a Tehran dateline. “Everyone’s done a total double take,” said one. According to Times spokeswoman Diane McNulty, Keller arrived in I
