Dear Markos,

I see that you’ve decided to adopt The Nation‘s advertising policy. (Or, as you put it, “I’m stealing them for myself.”) Markos, you didn’t have to “steal” them! As someone who’s always believed that imitation is the highest form of flattery, I think it’s great that you’ve emulated our policy.

In all seriousness, it makes sense to me that Kos would embrace the Nation‘s ad policy. After all Daily Kos is in some ways a forum of opinion like the Nation; its editor(s) have strong opinions that they express every day, and they make all kinds of selections for the site’s readers as to what should be featured on the home page; but there’s no reason to apply that same level of selectivity to what ads you’ll run, and since the money earned from advertising goes to further the editorial goals of the site, it makes simple business sense to err on the side of openness.

Furthermore, I believe you’re showing respect for your readers’ intelligence by adopting this policy. R-E-S-P-E-C-T for readers’ intelligence–and for the broad and free exchange of ideas– has stood The Nation in good stead these last 141 years! May that same stance keep Daily Kos going for that long!

Katrina vanden Heuvel
Editor & Publisher, The Nation