For about two years now, Charlie Cooke has wanted to become a full-time writer again. Given the importance of his role as editor of the website, it has taken a long time to get our ducks in a row and identify a successor. I’m happy to say we have finally found one in Philip Klein of the Washington Examiner, who will start in the middle of March.
Charlie has helped build a supremely talented team at NRO that is a great credit to our enterprise.
His imminent return to writing full time is great news for us, but very bad news for cancellers, charlatans of all kinds, gun-grabbers, enemies of our constitutional design, and pretty much anyone who annoys him on any given day.
As for Phil, he is an accomplished journalist with extensive experience in conservative opinion journalism. He has spent the last decade at the Washington Examiner, where he has had significant management roles, most recently as executive editor. He has written widely on policy and American politics, including two books, Fear Your Future and Surviving Obamacare.
He is a deeply grounded conservative, a brilliant and engaging writer, a happy warrior, and — in a truly radical shift for NRO — a native American.
We are absolutely delighted that he will be joining us in this hugely important role.