About Arianna Huffington

I wrote the following letter to the editors of Vanity Fair.  One of the researchers called a few weeks later to tell me that my letter was going to be printed —- in the UK edition.  He subsequently sent me a copy of this edition, and though the American and UK editions are pretty much the same, other than some difference in ads, the Letters sections are quite different,  The UK section has more letters, and longer ones.

Here is the letter I submitted, which was printed in a slightly edited form:

My latest copy of Vanity Fair has not arrived. However, a writing colleague has forwarded the first part of your mean spirited, unbalanced coverage of Arianna Huffington to me. Therefore, as one who has only met Arianna one time, but has blogged for The Huffington Post for 8 years, permit me to offer balance. Arianna is brilliant, open, respectful and fair, to her writers, to her staff, to the public. She answers every email.  She writes encouraging emails to those who write for her.  She is devoted to the health and well being of families in our country and beyond.  She knows well that printed words can hurt and that It is the best of journalistic practices, if a condemning report about another is printed, to offer the accused the opportunity to comment. I had a personal experience that shows Arianna’s strong support of her staff. Arianna had been supportive of many hours of research that I did into the relationship between Harper Lee and her older sister, Alice, her attorney and housemate. I concluded that Harper Lee, in her controversial second book, “Go Set A Watchman,” finally free from Alice’s relentless scrutiny and control, was able to publish the book she longed to write, and could die in peace knowing this. The Huffington Post editor, however, rejected my article.  And that was that!  Matter closed! There can be only two reasons for this scathing coverage of Arianna — jealousy of her mutually respectful, caring relationship with so many — and envy of what she has accomplished.