March 2006 Issue.
The article by editor Lewis Lapham is “The Case For Impeachment: Why We Can No Longer Afford George W. Bush,” the inside lead is “Is There A Case For Impeachment?” But the front cover says it all.
There will be a Town Hall meeting with Harper’s editor Lapham, Congressman John Conyers, Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights, and Elizabeth Holtzmann, member of the House Judiciary Committee during Watergate, Thursday March 2, 8pm; Town Hall; 123 West 43rd Street, New York City; $10.00 at the Town Hall, or through Ticketmaster (212) 307-4100.
The March issue of Harpers Magazine costs $7.00. If you go to their website, they will give you a map of the newstand nearest you where the issue is on sale.
HARPER’S FIGHTS FOR RIGHT TO DISPLAY MAGAZINES IN NEW YORK KIOSKS
Newsstand vendors lost their case against the Department of Transportation last August. Harper’s president and publisher Rick MacArthur became intrigued in the case after reading a small news item about the decision.
While Harper’s does not rely hugely on newsstand sales — the title sold on average 43,420 newsstand copies during the second half of 2005, up 7.3 percent compared to the year prior, according to Audit Bureau of Circulations — MacArthur was interested in the First Amendment implications.
“It cannot be good for magazines and newspapers for free distribution for points of views if the city regulated the newsstands and content at newsstands,” said MacArthur. “If the city controls the content of the newsstands, or can pressure the ad content, they can pressure the operator to display certain magazines.”
A BLAST FROM THE PAST
This is from the May 1974 issue with Abbie Hoffman and Arthur Schlesinger, author of The Imperial Presidency
Arthur Schlesinger’s article in this May, 1974 issue is called: IMPEACHMENT: What If We Don’t? This article is held in the John F. Kennedy Library collection, and is also copywrited to Harper’s Magazine Foundation. I’m working on it.
There’s a new party in town… The Impeachment Party. I wish you all an active and inspired March, 2006.
That is most definitely worth my $7.00, if only to hold it in my hands and kiss it.
my thought exactly
Your Seven Dollar Vote
In my mind, every purchase of this issue of Harper’s Magazine strengthens the case for the people’s vote for impeachment. In one month this issue will be available online at no cost.
March is coming in like a lion, and I don’t see it going out like a lamb. I just see more lions: Democrats, Libertarians, Independents, and quite a few Republicans, too.
Your Eight Dollar and Fifty Cent Vote
Buy an issue and send it to your representative. Get your family member or friend to buy another issue and send it to another representative. Take your issue down to Kinko’s and have them run a T Shirt transfer. Run off some posters while you’re at it.
Harpers Magazine has been publishing since 1870.
Suskind, hate to be a nitpicker given such wonderful news by you–yaaay!! for Harpers–but March 2 is a Thursday, not a Tuesday, for those of us who may want to join the party at the Town Hall.
I love telling the story of my grandfather (who was a Marine that saw active combat in WWII), who upon receiving any newspaper or magazine with GWB on the cover, punches it because he hates what that man has done to our country.
I cannot wait to pick up two copies of this magazine, and deliver to him the first periodical with W on the cover upon which I am sure he will not test his pugilist skills.
‘Suitable for framing’, as they say.
Quite soon now I’ll be compelled to drop my OL connection & will get my news mainly in print, as in days of yore. Harper’s is one periodical I may subscribe to.
My Diary 22 Feb.
The Case for Impeachment
Names Lewis Lapham calls Bush
thief
liar
wastrel
televangelist
criminal
felon
It pays to get a subscription.
When the editor of a major news magazine that has been in publication since 1870 puts this on the cover it is newsworthy… there is no equivocating here… this is not yet ANOTHER case for impeachment…. This is a direct order.
It takes “balls” to put this on the front cover, and it takes “balls” to follow through.
So yes, Sybil, you did cover the article…. but somehow I think you missed what the editor did, and is doing. What are sales of this particular issue going to be like. What does it say when this particular issue is in newstands throughout the US?
Just because my copy didn’t have that image on it when it arrived at my door.
No. I do not think I missed the point of the article.
It was jaw-dropping to read the names that Lapham called a sitting president of the United States. (I’m Canadian by the way).
Thief, liar, wastrel, televangelist, criminal, felon.
Words that are worth a thousand pictures.
Thanks for posting a rerun.
“Burying the lede” means hiding the ‘lead’ idea of a newspaper article deep within its text, as explained in News style. The spelling of lede is intentional to avoid confusion with the printing term “lead”, referring to spacing behind printed lines of text, which in term came from the use of strips of lead metal in letterpress printing.
The article was issued yesterday to newstands throughout the US with the cover as I have posted above…. millions of Americans will see this front page message. The cover sleeve was not released until yesterday…. the editor Lapham has done something extraordinary. You did not miss the article, and as a result of the cover sleeve millions of new readers will not miss it either.
This is not another among thousands of “A Case For Impeachment” articles that have been published in major US news magazines. This is a major move… Harper’s is in the lead, in the vanguard. In US journalism, this is a watershed moment.
A Blast From The Past
This is from the May 1974 issue with Abbie Hoffman and Arthur Schlesinger, author of The Imperial Presidency
Harper’s Magazine has been in publication since 1870. I do not yet have its circulation numbers, but I’m working on it.
Harper’s is a small magazine, with a total circulation of about 250,000 of which only 50,000 issues are sold from newstands. This might look discouraging, if it were not for this particular issue and the case that Harper’s is now fighting to make sure that the message does, indeed get through:
So, while editor Lapham is brave enough to break through the “I” word barrier, he is fighting on another front so that his message gets through.
Burning question: Can a US magazine that has a total circulation of just 250,000 with only about 50,000 issues on the newstands (based on June, 2004 circulation figures) make a dramatic impact on the political scene today? Sales figures for this March, 2006 issue will be the answer.
I will buy a copy and put it in the laundryroom of my 52 unit apartment complex. If we each turn one person on to this article just think the impact it could have. What do you think?
Dunno. Have been subscriber to the journal for years.
Apparently, subscription issues did not have this cover image? Perhaps only on newsstands?
This year, as X-mas gifts, I sent gift subscriptions (about 20).
Pump up the circulation.
Lapham, incidentally, has also signed on to World Can’t Wait!
He is an incredible writer and thinker. Not a very popular thing to be these days, all the more reason to support him and the journal any way we can.
Gift subscriptions are relatively cheap, btw. About 15 bucks as I recall.
Is that circ. figure 250,000 US only or does it include international distribution?
Newsstand vendors lost their case against the Department of Transportation last August. Harper’s president and publisher Rick MacArthur became intrigued in the case after reading a small news item about the decision.
While Harper’s does not rely hugely on newsstand sales — the title sold on average 43,420 newsstand copies during the second half of 2005, up 7.3 percent compared to the year prior, according to Audit Bureau of Circulations — MacArthur was interested in the First Amendment implications.
“It cannot be good for magazines and newspapers for free distribution for points of views if the city regulated the newsstands and content at newsstands,” said MacArthur. “If the city controls the content of the newsstands, or can pressure the ad content, they can pressure the operator to display certain magazines.”
See: MAJOR PUBLISHERS APPEAL KIOSK ADS
The total circulation figures I got from Harper’s website.
As a long time subscriber to Harper’s, I am not surprised by the lead taken by Lewis Lapham,the Mencken of our times.His is probably the sanest voice among our opinion makers,incorruptible,skeptical of the claims of rulers,detector of cant and vanity and ruthlessly skewering them both in his writings.
More than his own essays on our times, he has given voice to many writers.His leaving the editor’s office at Harper’s will be a loss,the greater because so few of his peers have his courage to tell the truth in prose only he can write.
I urge everyone to read his essay, at once civilized and exhibiting a controlled rage at what has happened to us.
Can I vote to have this front-paged? Sadly, a lot of folks don’t look at the diaries, and everone needs to see this.
My diary was front-paged 22Feb but alas, without the graphic.
The Case for Impeachment
It hadn’t been put on the newstands with cover-sleeve until Saturday the 25th. There was a famous case of reporting and front-paging an event that hadn’t happened yet:
The Chicago Daily Tribune printed headline “Dewey Defeats Truman”…. that’s Harry Truman getting a good laugh.
Let’s hope the word gets around and around. There’s hardly a writer in America that I respect more than Lapham. Let’s hope his words lead to actions.
What part of the country are you in?
That country to the north of you, Canada.
jc has a great bumper sticker graphic re: impeachment.
Personally I’d like to see him vaprorized.