First Rich, now Herbert

There's a notice in the NY Times today that Bob Herbert is leaving the paper. This comes on the heels of Frank Rich's departure. Truly, what will the Times have to offer without these two pillars of the paper? As far as I can tell, the only two sane voices are leaving. This does not bode well for the paper's future.

Here's an excerpt in which Herbert states his reasons for leaving:

“The deadlines and demands were a useful discipline, but for some time now I have grown eager to move beyond the constriction of the column format, with its rigid 800-word limit, in favor of broader and more versatile efforts,” he said. “So I am leaving The New York Times and the rewards and rigors of daily journalism with the intent of writing more expansively and more aggressively about the injustices visited on working people, the poor and the many others in our society who find themselves on the wrong side of power.”

I will miss Bob Herbert dearly, and Rich as well. They weren't just window dressing for the Times -- they were the only rational columnists the paper had.