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• THE RISE AND FALL OF CHRIS HUGH AND SEAN ELDRIDGE, AMERI’S WORST GAY POWER COUPLEYUCKCHRIS HUGH AND SEAN ELDRIDGE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ENTLED BRATS. AND NOW THE MEDIA HAS FALLY NOTICED. JAM KIRCHICKUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 1:22PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 08, 2014 9:43PM EST THE DAILY BEAST, AMANDA GORDON/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTYJT THREE YEARS AGO, CHRIS HUGH AND SEAN ELDRIDGE WERE THE TOAST OF THE LIBERAL TABLISHMENT. THE FACEBOOK -FOUNR AND HIS POLILLY AMB HBAND EMBODIED ALL THE ATTRIBUT OF A BONA FI “GAY POWER UPLE.” IN 2012, HUGH BOUGHT THE NEW REPUBLIC, RCUG THE FLAGSHIP LIBERAL MAGAZE OM FANCIAL PERIL AND TABLISHG HIMSELF AS A PLAYER WASHGTON. AT THE SAME TIME, ELDRIDGE WAS QUIETLY PREPARG TO N FOR CONGRS UPSTATE NEW YORK.YOUNG, HANDSOME, IVY LEAGUE-PEDIGREED, RICH (“THE WEALTHIT OPENLY GAY MEN UNR 30” ACRDG TO THE ADVOTE, A STRETCH NSIRG THAT THE FORTUNE BELONGS TO HUGH), AND POG PREDICTABLY LIBERAL POLIL VIEWS, THE HUGH-ELDRIDGE PARTNERSHIP WAS STED TO WORK WONRS FOR AMERI.HOW SWIFTLY THGS CHANGE. IN JT THE PAST TWO MONTHS, ONE HALF OF THIS PAIR MANAGED TO SGLE-HANDLY STROY A STORIED JOURNALISTIC STUTN, WHILE THE OTHER SUFFERED A CSHG ELECTORAL FEAT NEW YORK’S 19TH CONGRSNAL DISTRICT. LAST WEEK, THE 31-YEAR-OLD HUGH FORCED THE RIGNATNS OF BOTH THE EDOR AND LERARY EDOR OF THE NEW REPUBLIC, WHOSE 100TH ANNIVERSARY HE PRID OVER LAST MONTH AT A STAR-STUDD GALA WASHGTON, D.C.IN PROTT OF THE MAGAZE’S NEWLY ENSNCED CEO’S PLAN TO TRANSFORM TNR TO A “VERTILLY TEGRATED DIGAL MEDIA PANY,” THE MAJORY OF THE MAGAZE’S SENR AND NTRIBUTG EDORS RIGNED. WEEKS BEFORE THE IMPLOSN AT TNR, 28-YEAR-OLD ELDRIDGE LOST HIS NGRSNAL BID BY A STUNNG 30 POTS, SPE HAVG OUTSPENT HIS OPPONENT NEARLY 3-TO-1 A DISTRICT PRINT OBAMA WON BY 6 PERCENTAGE POTS. THE UPLE HAD PURCHASED A $2 LN HOME THE DISTRICT EXPRSLY SO THAT ELDRIDGE ULD N THERE, THEIR PURCHASE OF A $5 LN MANSN THE ADJOG 18TH HAVG E TO NGHT AFTER THAT SEAT WAS WON BY ANOTHER GAY DEMOCRAT 2012.WHEN HUGH BOUGHT THE NEW REPUBLIC FOR AN UNDISCLOSED SUM LS THAN THREE YEARS AGO, MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA TRIPPED OVER THEMSELV TO FLATTER THE YOUNG HARVARD GRADUATE AND HIS HBAND (FULL DISCLOSURE: I WAS ON THE EDORIAL STAFF OF TNR OM 2007 TO 2009, AND A NTRIBUTG EDOR OM 2010 UNTIL LAST YEAR, DROPPED OM THE MASTHEAD BEFORE WAS OL). “IT’S DIFFICULT NOT TO GET SWEPT UP HUGH’S SCERY, HIS LIFE-OF-THE-MD SWAGGER,” SWOONED NEW YORK’S CARL SWANSON, WHO PENNED THE MOST REVERENTIAL OF MANY NOTIC (NO MEAN FEAT).A NEW YORK TIM PROFILE, MEANWHILE, SET THE SCENE AT A PARIS REVIEW FUNDRAISER HOSTED BY THE UPLE AT CIPRIANI (THE 42ND STREET LOTN, NOT THE WALL STREET ONE, WHERE THEY CELEBRATED THEIR WEDDG WH 400 OF THEIR CLOST IENDS). IN , A SERI OF MANHATTAN LERARY AND MEDIA BIGWIGS PROSTRATED THEMSELV BEFORE THE TWO LIKE NOBL AT A ROYAL URT.“THEY ARE VERY GENERO WH THEIR MONEY AND TIME,” RICHARD SORIS, A FORMER CLTON ADMISTRATN STAFFER AND TELEVISN PUND PRATTLED. “THEY ARE YOUNG, RICH, SMART, AND GOOD-LOOKG. IT’S A PRETTY POWERFUL BATN.”POWERFUL ED. AT THEIR 4,000-SQUARE-FOOT, $5 LN SOHO LOFT, HUGH AND ELDRIDGE HOSTED FUNDRAISERS FOR NANCY PELOSI AND ANDREW CUOMO, AND RAISED MONEY FOR WORTHY LIKE GAY MARRIAGE. ALL THE WHILE THEY RACKED UP FAVORABLE VERAGE THE MASTREAM PRS, AND EVEN MORE SYPHANTIC MENTNS THE GAY PRS. IN 2011, HUGH AND ELDRIDGE GRACED THE VER OF THE ADVOTE’S “40 UNR 40” ISSUE, AND THE FOLLOWG YEAR HUGH ME AT NO. 28 ON OUT’S “POWER LIST.” NEARLY EVERY PROFILE REMARKED UPON THE YOUNG MEN’S PRECY. THEY POSSSED “WISDOM BEYOND THEIR YEARS,” OBSERVED THE ADVOTE. “THE YOUNGT OLD MAN ANY OF KNOWS,” AN UNNAMED IEND OF ATLANTIC PUBLISHER DAVID BRADLEY SAID OF HUGH.EARLIER THIS YEAR, FORMER TNR STAFFER AND WASHGTON POST LUMNIST DANA MILBANK SENT HUGH A FAWNG EMAIL WHICH HE PRAISED THE YOUNG OWNER FOR “DOG THE LORD’S WORK” PURCHASG THE PERPETUALLY MONEY-LOSG MAGAZE, LLG HIM A “21ST-CENTURY WALTER LIPPMAN.”LAST MAY, FORMER TNR EDOR ANDREW SULLIVAN PRODUCED A CLOYGLY SELF-REFERENTIAL BLANDISHMENT OF HUGH FOR A T MAGAZE FEATURE ON SUCCSFUL TWENTYSOMETHGS, PORTRAYG THE SELF-APPOTED EDOR OF THE MAGAZE AS A SLIGHTLY MORE LIBERAL, TWKIER VERSN OF SULLIVAN’S YOUNGER SELF. ACPANYG A PICTURE OF A PENSIVE HUGH STG A FFEE SHOP, BECKED A $2,800 AT, $680 SWEATER, AND $650 SHIRT (ALL VALENTO), SULLIVAN WROTE THAT HUGH “RCUE[D]” TNR, “IS A YOUNG PERSON’S IA OF WHAT AN EDOR SHOULD BE,” AND, STICKG WH THE OLD-SOUL CRAP, TOLD REARS THAT HE “FELT AS IF I WERE A KID TALKG TO A GROWNUP.”TODAY, FORMER TNR WRERS AND THE RT OF THE MEDIA TABLISHMENT ARE RACG TO NOUNCE HUGH. “A DILETTANTE AND A D” IS HOW MILBANK SCRIB THE MAN WHOM HE NOT SO LONG AGO LIKENED TO THE JOURNALISTIC SEND G OF J CHRIST. SULLIVAN ACC HUGH OF “RPORATE STCTN, ” AND SIGNED AN OPEN LETTER WH A RAFT OF OTHER DISGNTLED TNR ALUMS ACCG HUGH OF NOTHG LS THAN “AL[G] A LAMENTABLE BLOW” TO “THE PROMISE OF AMERIN LIFE.” CONTRARY TO THE POPULAR NARRATIVE, TNR DID NOT “DIE” LAST WEEK. ITS MISE AS A THOUGHTFUL JOURNAL OF LIBERAL ( THE CLASSIL SENSE OF THE WORD) THOUGHT WAS FOREORDAED THE DAY HUGH PURCHASED THE MAGAZE. AND THE SIGNS THAT HE WOULD STROY THE NEW REPUBLIC AS WE KNEW WERE CLEAR FOR ANYONE WILLG TO TAKE OFF THEIR IOLOGIL BLRS. FOR BEHD THE SEEMGLY ACPLISHED, SMART, AND CREATIVE PRODIGY THAT SUPPOSEDLY IS CHRIS HUGH LI A EPLY SECURE MAN WH FEW ACPLISHMENTS TO HIS NAME AND A HEAVY BURN TO PROVE HIS SELF, NOT TO MENTN , WORTH. HUGH’S WEALTH AND STAT OWE LTLE TO HIS GENUY AS A SUPPOSED FACEBOOK “-FOUNR” BUT RATHER HIS LUCK AT BEG THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.UNLIKE MARK ZUCKERBERG AND DT MOSKOVZ, WH WHOM HE ROOMED AT HARVARD, HUGH HAD NO SPECIAL PROGRAMMG OR DG ABILI. BUT THERE WAS A SILVER LG THIS LACK OF TECHNIL EXPERTISE, THAT, AS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THIS TECH GEEK CREW WH PASSABLE SOCIAL SKILLS, HE ULD TAKE UP THE PUBLIC-RELATNS PORTFOL. “HE IS FORTUNATE HE FOUND HIMSELF THE SAME ROOM,” DAVID KIRKPATRICK, THOR OF A BOOK ABOUT THE WEBSE, TOLD THE TIM. “HE IS MORE SOCIALLY ADJTED THAN THE RT OF THEM.” BY HIS OWN ADMISSN, HUGH’ MA JOB FOR FACEBOOK WAS “CTOMER SERVICE.” $700 LN, THE ROUGH AMOUNT THAT HUGH EARNED WHEN HE SHED OUT OF THE PANY 2007, IS A PRETTY GOOD TAKE FOR A GLORIFIED LL-CENTER OPERATOR.KNOWG HOW LTLE HE HAD DONE TO EARN SUCH ILL-GOTTEN GAS, HUGH SET ABOUT TRYG TO PROVE THAT HE WAS ON PAR WH THE STEVE JOBS AND WARREN BUFFETTS OF THE WORLD. HE JOED THE OBAMA 2008 MPAIGN’S SOCIAL-MEDIA TEAM, BUT WAS HARDLY “THE KID WHO MA OBAMA PRINT,” AS FAST COMPANY CLAIMED 2009. AFTER THE ELECTN, HUGH HELPED LNCH A “E-ORIENTED SOCIAL WORK” LLED JUMO, BUT FAILED AFTER LS THAN A YEAR OPERATN.LISTLS AND WH A BURNG SIRE TO SHOW HIS METTLE, HUGH WAS READY WHEN THE OPPORTUNY TO PURCHASE THE NEW REPUBLIC FELL TO HIS LAP 2012. WHOUT SO MUCH AS A SGLE BYLE TO HIS NAME A REPUTABLE JOURNALISTIC OUTLET, NEVER MD THE HARVARD CRIMSON (THOUGH HE WAS, TO BE FAIR, NEWS EDOR OF THE ANDOVER PHILLIPIAN), HUGH APPOTED HIMSELF EDOR--CHIEF OF THE MAGAZE. WH MONTHS, AFTER HAVG PROMISED THE STAFF EDORIAL PENNCE, HE FIRED EDOR RICHARD JT, WHO HAD APPROACHED HIM ABOUT PURCHASG TNR THE FIRST PLACE.SOON, FOR THE FIRST TIME SCE S 1914 FOUNDG, THE MAGAZE STOPPED PUBLISHG UNSIGNED EDORIALS. LAST YEAR, AFTER PROMISG THE ACCLAIMED JOURNALIST STEVE BRILL THAT A 24,000-WORD PIECE HE HAD WRTEN ABOUT THE AMERIN HEALTH-RE SYSTEM WOULD APPEAR ON THE VER OF THE RE-LNCHED MAGAZE, HUGH LAYED S PUBLITN FAVOR OF A PREDICTABLY OBSEQU S-DOWN TERVIEW HE NDUCTED WH HIS FORMER BOSS, THE PRINT OF THE UNED STAT. BRILL WENT ON TO PUBLISH HIS PIECE TIME, WHERE WON A NATNAL MAGAZE AWARD.BY LAST MONTH’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATN, HUGH’ LT FOR REKNOWN HAD BEE FARCIL. TO SPEAK AT THE EVENT, HE VED FAREED ZAKARIA, WHO STANDS ACCED OF PLAGIARIZG DOZENS OF ARTICL, CLUDG THE VERY FIRST ONE HE WROTE FOR TNR AS A LOWLY TERN BACK 1987. ZAKARIA ALSO EARNED THE DUB HONOR OF APPEARG ON THE MAGAZE’S 2011 LIST OF “OVERRATED THKERS” (“A BAROMETER A GOOD SU, A CREATURE OF TABLISHMENT NSENS, AN EXEMPLARY SPOKMAN FOR THE ALWAYS-EVOLVG MIDDLE.”) BUT TO HUGH, WG AND DG THIS MEDIA STAR WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROTECTG THE TEGRY OF THE STUTN WHOSE REPUTATN HE CLAIMS TO RE SO MUCH ABOUT. HUGH’S ALLEGED FIDDLG WH THE SEATG PLAN FOR THE CENTENARY DNER, AT WHICH HE RELEGATED THE MAGAZE’S STAFF TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM, BROUGHT TO MD THE PATHETIC MEMORY OF JIMMY CARTER MANAGG THE SCHLE OF THE WHE HOE TENNIS URT.ELDRIDGE’S PATH TO FAME IS EVEN MORE ACCINTAL. IN 2010, HE DROPPED OUT OF LAW SCHOOL TO TAKE UP A JOB AS MUNITNS DIRECTOR FOR A GAY-RIGHTS ANIZATN, AN APPOTMENT SOON FOLLOWED BY HIS HBAND’S DONATN OF A QUARTER-LN DOLLARS TO THE GROUP. NE MONTHS AFTER HUGH TOLD NEW YORK MAGAZE, “HE’S 26. HE’S GOG TO DO ALL KDS OF THGS POLICS, BUT I DON’T THK THERE’S ANY SH,” TO N FOR OFFICE, ELDRIDGE ANNOUNCED HIS NGRSNAL NDIDACY.EVEN BY THE ALREADY MONEY-DRENCHED STANDARDS OF AMERIN POLICS, THE ELDRIDGE MPAIGN WAS A JAW-DROPPG SPECTACLE TO BEHOLD. IN PREPARATN FOR A MPAIGN, ELDRIDGE TABLISHED HUDSON RIVER VENTUR, SENTIALLY A VOTE-BUYG APPARAT MASQUERADG AS AN ENOMIC-VELOPMENT PROJECT, TO W OVER SMALL-BS OWNERS AND THEIR EMPLOYE. HE THEN TRAIPSED AROUND THE DISTRICT DISPENSG “VTMENTS” RANGG OM $50,000 TO $500,000 TO LOL PANI. THE UPLE THEN BOUGHT A PROPERTY THE TOWN OF SHOKAN, NEW YORK’S 19TH DISTRICT, JT MONTHS AFTER ELDRIDGE TOLD THE TIM THAT WAS THEIR ORIGAL MANSN, THE 18TH, WHERE “WE PUT DOWN ROOTS, WHERE WE WANT TO HAVE A FAY.”ELDRIDGE RETAED SKDKNICKERBOCKER, A HEAVY-HTG DEMOCRATIC POLIL NSULTG FIRM, WHICH ALSO HAPPENED TO BE DOG PUBLIC-RELATNS WORK FOR HIS VTMENT FUND. “CANDIDAT WHO EMPLOY PEOPLE THE DISTRICTS THEY’RE NNG ENJOY SOME ADVANTAG. WHAT’S SO UNUAL ABOUT THIS SUATN IS THAT HE’S BEG SO TRANSPARENT ABOUT ,” PL HERRNSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSY OF CONNECTICUT’S ROPER CENTER FOR PUBLIC OPN REARCH, TOLD POLI. LACKG ANY SENSE OF IRONY, ELDRIDGE MA MPAIGN-FANCE REFORM A SIGNATURE PLANK.TO NO ONE’S SURPRISE EXCEPT, PERHAPS, THE PAMPERED UPLE, ELDRIDGE LOST THE RACE TO THE REPUBLIN CUMBENT 65 PERCENT TO 35 PERCENT. IN LIGHT OF THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY HUGH DUMPED TO THE RACE, WAS ONE OF THE MOST HUIATG FEATS THE LAST ELECTN CYCLE. BUT ELDRIDGE’S POLIL AMBN IS NOT LIKELY TO BE SATIATED. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BEFORE HE EVER ANNOUNCED HIS NDIDACY, A SOURCE CLOSE TO ELDRIDGE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD SKDKNICKERBOCKER DRAW UP A PLAN FOR HIM TO BEE THE FIRST OPENLY GAY PRINT OF THE UNED STAT (ELDRIDGE WAS BORN CANADA AND UNTIL RECENTLY HELD BOTH CANADIAN AND ISRAELI CIZENSHIP, WHICH WOULD MAKE DIFFICULT TO OVERE THE CONSTUTN’S NATURAL-BORN CIZENSHIP CLSE). EXPECT THE UPLE TO FD ANOTHER MANSN A SAFE DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT WHERE AN AGG REPRENTATIVE IS EXPECTED TO RETIRE.ONE SPECTS THAT HAD THIS UPLE BEEN HETEROSEXUAL AND NSERVATIVE, THE IAL MEDIA ATTENTN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN QUE SO TOADYG. WE WOULD HAVE NO DOUBT BEEN TREATED TO ENDLS STORI ABOUT HOW A “RAPAC” “RIGHT-WG” LNAIRE, WHO HAD DONE NOTHG TO EARN HIS FORTUNE, SET OUT TO STROY ONE OF LIBERALISM’S GREAT STUTNS ALL THE WHILE ENABLG HIS POWER-MAD SPOE TO “BUY” A SEAT CONGRS. BUT EVERYTHG ABOUT THE HUGH-ELDRIDGE PAIRG ATED AGAST SUCH A PORTRAYAL. THE PROSPECT OF A H-FACED, NVENTNALLY LIBERAL, GAY UPLE H EVERY MEDIA SWEET SPOT. HUGH AND ELDRIDGE ARE NOT “ROLE MOLS FOR A FUTURE GENERATN OF… GAY PEOPLE,” AS THE ADVOTE ABSURDLY STATED. THEY ARE LTLE MORE THAN ENTLED BRATS WHO, LIKE MOST FABULOLY WEALTHY ARRIVIST WHO ATTA THEIR FORTUN THROUGH SHEER LUCK RATHER THAN HARD WORK, ARE ED TO GETTG EVERYTHG THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT , AND THROW TEMPER TANTMS WHEN THEY DON’T.IN THEIR ELISM AND SENSE OF ENTLEMENT, THEY REPRENT MUCH OF WHAT LIBERALS ARE SUPPOSED TO SPISE. MOST THE MEDIA AND GAY MUNY WERE PERFECTLY WILLG TO IGNORE THIS IMPOSTURE WHEN THE UPLE WAS THROWG THEIR MONEY AT THE RIGHT AND DISPENSG JOBS TO THEIR JOURNALIST AND POLIL NSULTANT IENDS. HUGH AND ELDRIDGE WERE BENEFICIARI OF A RPT AND PLIANT MEDIA AND POLIL TABLISHMENT THAT GRASPED AT THEIR FILTHY LUCRE. ONLY NOW THAT THE FAIRY TALE HAS E CRASHG DOWN—A MAGAZE STROYED, A VASTATG POLIL LOSS SUFFERED—IS THE HERD WILLG TO ADM THE OBV. UPDATED TUDAY, DEC. 9, 2014: STATEMENT OM ANA DUNN, SKDKNICKERBOCKER: “THE SUGGTN THAT SKDKNICKERBOCKER DREW UP A PRINTIAL PLAN FOR SEAN ELDRIDGE IS UNTE AND LUDICRO ON S FACE, AS WE HAVE TOLD OTHER REPORTERS WHO ASKED ABOUT THIS URBAN MYTH. SEAN’S GOAL IS TO SERVE CONGRS AND WE WERE PROUD TO WORK WH HIM ON HIS MPAIGN.” JAM KIRCHICK
• WHEN TO SAY CHRIS HUGH IS GAY
• IS STEVE HUGH GAY?

THE RISE AND FALL OF CHRIS HUGH AND SEAN ELDRIDGE, AMERI’S WORST GAY POWER COUPLEYUCKCHRIS HUGH AND SEAN ELDRIDGE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ENTLED BRATS. AND NOW THE MEDIA HAS FALLY NOTICED. JAM KIRCHICKUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 1:22PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 08, 2014 9:43PM EST THE DAILY BEAST, AMANDA GORDON/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTYJT THREE YEARS AGO, CHRIS HUGH AND SEAN ELDRIDGE WERE THE TOAST OF THE LIBERAL TABLISHMENT. THE FACEBOOK -FOUNR AND HIS POLILLY AMB HBAND EMBODIED ALL THE ATTRIBUT OF A BONA FI “GAY POWER UPLE.” IN 2012, HUGH BOUGHT THE NEW REPUBLIC, RCUG THE FLAGSHIP LIBERAL MAGAZE OM FANCIAL PERIL AND TABLISHG HIMSELF AS A PLAYER WASHGTON. AT THE SAME TIME, ELDRIDGE WAS QUIETLY PREPARG TO N FOR CONGRS UPSTATE NEW YORK.YOUNG, HANDSOME, IVY LEAGUE-PEDIGREED, RICH (“THE WEALTHIT OPENLY GAY MEN UNR 30” ACRDG TO THE ADVOTE, A STRETCH NSIRG THAT THE FORTUNE BELONGS TO HUGH), AND POG PREDICTABLY LIBERAL POLIL VIEWS, THE HUGH-ELDRIDGE PARTNERSHIP WAS STED TO WORK WONRS FOR AMERI.HOW SWIFTLY THGS CHANGE. IN JT THE PAST TWO MONTHS, ONE HALF OF THIS PAIR MANAGED TO SGLE-HANDLY STROY A STORIED JOURNALISTIC STUTN, WHILE THE OTHER SUFFERED A CSHG ELECTORAL FEAT NEW YORK’S 19TH CONGRSNAL DISTRICT. LAST WEEK, THE 31-YEAR-OLD HUGH FORCED THE RIGNATNS OF BOTH THE EDOR AND LERARY EDOR OF THE NEW REPUBLIC, WHOSE 100TH ANNIVERSARY HE PRID OVER LAST MONTH AT A STAR-STUDD GALA WASHGTON, D.C.IN PROTT OF THE MAGAZE’S NEWLY ENSNCED CEO’S PLAN TO TRANSFORM TNR TO A “VERTILLY TEGRATED DIGAL MEDIA PANY,” THE MAJORY OF THE MAGAZE’S SENR AND NTRIBUTG EDORS RIGNED. WEEKS BEFORE THE IMPLOSN AT TNR, 28-YEAR-OLD ELDRIDGE LOST HIS NGRSNAL BID BY A STUNNG 30 POTS, SPE HAVG OUTSPENT HIS OPPONENT NEARLY 3-TO-1 A DISTRICT PRINT OBAMA WON BY 6 PERCENTAGE POTS. THE UPLE HAD PURCHASED A $2 LN HOME THE DISTRICT EXPRSLY SO THAT ELDRIDGE ULD N THERE, THEIR PURCHASE OF A $5 LN MANSN THE ADJOG 18TH HAVG E TO NGHT AFTER THAT SEAT WAS WON BY ANOTHER GAY DEMOCRAT 2012.WHEN HUGH BOUGHT THE NEW REPUBLIC FOR AN UNDISCLOSED SUM LS THAN THREE YEARS AGO, MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA TRIPPED OVER THEMSELV TO FLATTER THE YOUNG HARVARD GRADUATE AND HIS HBAND (FULL DISCLOSURE: I WAS ON THE EDORIAL STAFF OF TNR OM 2007 TO 2009, AND A NTRIBUTG EDOR OM 2010 UNTIL LAST YEAR, DROPPED OM THE MASTHEAD BEFORE WAS OL). “IT’S DIFFICULT NOT TO GET SWEPT UP HUGH’S SCERY, HIS LIFE-OF-THE-MD SWAGGER,” SWOONED NEW YORK’S CARL SWANSON, WHO PENNED THE MOST REVERENTIAL OF MANY NOTIC (NO MEAN FEAT).A NEW YORK TIM PROFILE, MEANWHILE, SET THE SCENE AT A PARIS REVIEW FUNDRAISER HOSTED BY THE UPLE AT CIPRIANI (THE 42ND STREET LOTN, NOT THE WALL STREET ONE, WHERE THEY CELEBRATED THEIR WEDDG WH 400 OF THEIR CLOST IENDS). IN , A SERI OF MANHATTAN LERARY AND MEDIA BIGWIGS PROSTRATED THEMSELV BEFORE THE TWO LIKE NOBL AT A ROYAL URT.“THEY ARE VERY GENERO WH THEIR MONEY AND TIME,” RICHARD SORIS, A FORMER CLTON ADMISTRATN STAFFER AND TELEVISN PUND PRATTLED. “THEY ARE YOUNG, RICH, SMART, AND GOOD-LOOKG. IT’S A PRETTY POWERFUL BATN.”POWERFUL ED. AT THEIR 4,000-SQUARE-FOOT, $5 LN SOHO LOFT, HUGH AND ELDRIDGE HOSTED FUNDRAISERS FOR NANCY PELOSI AND ANDREW CUOMO, AND RAISED MONEY FOR WORTHY LIKE GAY MARRIAGE. ALL THE WHILE THEY RACKED UP FAVORABLE VERAGE THE MASTREAM PRS, AND EVEN MORE SYPHANTIC MENTNS THE GAY PRS. IN 2011, HUGH AND ELDRIDGE GRACED THE VER OF THE ADVOTE’S “40 UNR 40” ISSUE, AND THE FOLLOWG YEAR HUGH ME AT NO. 28 ON OUT’S “POWER LIST.” NEARLY EVERY PROFILE REMARKED UPON THE YOUNG MEN’S PRECY. THEY POSSSED “WISDOM BEYOND THEIR YEARS,” OBSERVED THE ADVOTE. “THE YOUNGT OLD MAN ANY OF KNOWS,” AN UNNAMED IEND OF ATLANTIC PUBLISHER DAVID BRADLEY SAID OF HUGH.EARLIER THIS YEAR, FORMER TNR STAFFER AND WASHGTON POST LUMNIST DANA MILBANK SENT HUGH A FAWNG EMAIL WHICH HE PRAISED THE YOUNG OWNER FOR “DOG THE LORD’S WORK” PURCHASG THE PERPETUALLY MONEY-LOSG MAGAZE, LLG HIM A “21ST-CENTURY WALTER LIPPMAN.”LAST MAY, FORMER TNR EDOR ANDREW SULLIVAN PRODUCED A CLOYGLY SELF-REFERENTIAL BLANDISHMENT OF HUGH FOR A T MAGAZE FEATURE ON SUCCSFUL TWENTYSOMETHGS, PORTRAYG THE SELF-APPOTED EDOR OF THE MAGAZE AS A SLIGHTLY MORE LIBERAL, TWKIER VERSN OF SULLIVAN’S YOUNGER SELF. ACPANYG A PICTURE OF A PENSIVE HUGH STG A FFEE SHOP, BECKED A $2,800 AT, $680 SWEATER, AND $650 SHIRT (ALL VALENTO), SULLIVAN WROTE THAT HUGH “RCUE[D]” TNR, “IS A YOUNG PERSON’S IA OF WHAT AN EDOR SHOULD BE,” AND, STICKG WH THE OLD-SOUL CRAP, TOLD REARS THAT HE “FELT AS IF I WERE A KID TALKG TO A GROWNUP.”TODAY, FORMER TNR WRERS AND THE RT OF THE MEDIA TABLISHMENT ARE RACG TO NOUNCE HUGH. “A DILETTANTE AND A D” IS HOW MILBANK SCRIB THE MAN WHOM HE NOT SO LONG AGO LIKENED TO THE JOURNALISTIC SEND G OF J CHRIST. SULLIVAN ACC HUGH OF “RPORATE STCTN, ” AND SIGNED AN OPEN LETTER WH A RAFT OF OTHER DISGNTLED TNR ALUMS ACCG HUGH OF NOTHG LS THAN “AL[G] A LAMENTABLE BLOW” TO “THE PROMISE OF AMERIN LIFE.” CONTRARY TO THE POPULAR NARRATIVE, TNR DID NOT “DIE” LAST WEEK. ITS MISE AS A THOUGHTFUL JOURNAL OF LIBERAL ( THE CLASSIL SENSE OF THE WORD) THOUGHT WAS FOREORDAED THE DAY HUGH PURCHASED THE MAGAZE. AND THE SIGNS THAT HE WOULD STROY THE NEW REPUBLIC AS WE KNEW WERE CLEAR FOR ANYONE WILLG TO TAKE OFF THEIR IOLOGIL BLRS. FOR BEHD THE SEEMGLY ACPLISHED, SMART, AND CREATIVE PRODIGY THAT SUPPOSEDLY IS CHRIS HUGH LI A EPLY SECURE MAN WH FEW ACPLISHMENTS TO HIS NAME AND A HEAVY BURN TO PROVE HIS SELF, NOT TO MENTN , WORTH. HUGH’S WEALTH AND STAT OWE LTLE TO HIS GENUY AS A SUPPOSED FACEBOOK “-FOUNR” BUT RATHER HIS LUCK AT BEG THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.UNLIKE MARK ZUCKERBERG AND DT MOSKOVZ, WH WHOM HE ROOMED AT HARVARD, HUGH HAD NO SPECIAL PROGRAMMG OR DG ABILI. BUT THERE WAS A SILVER LG THIS LACK OF TECHNIL EXPERTISE, THAT, AS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THIS TECH GEEK CREW WH PASSABLE SOCIAL SKILLS, HE ULD TAKE UP THE PUBLIC-RELATNS PORTFOL. “HE IS FORTUNATE HE FOUND HIMSELF THE SAME ROOM,” DAVID KIRKPATRICK, THOR OF A BOOK ABOUT THE WEBSE, TOLD THE TIM. “HE IS MORE SOCIALLY ADJTED THAN THE RT OF THEM.” BY HIS OWN ADMISSN, HUGH’ MA JOB FOR FACEBOOK WAS “CTOMER SERVICE.” $700 LN, THE ROUGH AMOUNT THAT HUGH EARNED WHEN HE SHED OUT OF THE PANY 2007, IS A PRETTY GOOD TAKE FOR A GLORIFIED LL-CENTER OPERATOR.KNOWG HOW LTLE HE HAD DONE TO EARN SUCH ILL-GOTTEN GAS, HUGH SET ABOUT TRYG TO PROVE THAT HE WAS ON PAR WH THE STEVE JOBS AND WARREN BUFFETTS OF THE WORLD. HE JOED THE OBAMA 2008 MPAIGN’S SOCIAL-MEDIA TEAM, BUT WAS HARDLY “THE KID WHO MA OBAMA PRINT,” AS FAST COMPANY CLAIMED 2009. AFTER THE ELECTN, HUGH HELPED LNCH A “E-ORIENTED SOCIAL WORK” LLED JUMO, BUT FAILED AFTER LS THAN A YEAR OPERATN.LISTLS AND WH A BURNG SIRE TO SHOW HIS METTLE, HUGH WAS READY WHEN THE OPPORTUNY TO PURCHASE THE NEW REPUBLIC FELL TO HIS LAP 2012. WHOUT SO MUCH AS A SGLE BYLE TO HIS NAME A REPUTABLE JOURNALISTIC OUTLET, NEVER MD THE HARVARD CRIMSON (THOUGH HE WAS, TO BE FAIR, NEWS EDOR OF THE ANDOVER PHILLIPIAN), HUGH APPOTED HIMSELF EDOR--CHIEF OF THE MAGAZE. WH MONTHS, AFTER HAVG PROMISED THE STAFF EDORIAL PENNCE, HE FIRED EDOR RICHARD JT, WHO HAD APPROACHED HIM ABOUT PURCHASG TNR THE FIRST PLACE.SOON, FOR THE FIRST TIME SCE S 1914 FOUNDG, THE MAGAZE STOPPED PUBLISHG UNSIGNED EDORIALS. LAST YEAR, AFTER PROMISG THE ACCLAIMED JOURNALIST STEVE BRILL THAT A 24,000-WORD PIECE HE HAD WRTEN ABOUT THE AMERIN HEALTH-RE SYSTEM WOULD APPEAR ON THE VER OF THE RE-LNCHED MAGAZE, HUGH LAYED S PUBLITN FAVOR OF A PREDICTABLY OBSEQU S-DOWN TERVIEW HE NDUCTED WH HIS FORMER BOSS, THE PRINT OF THE UNED STAT. BRILL WENT ON TO PUBLISH HIS PIECE TIME, WHERE WON A NATNAL MAGAZE AWARD.BY LAST MONTH’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATN, HUGH’ LT FOR REKNOWN HAD BEE FARCIL. TO SPEAK AT THE EVENT, HE VED FAREED ZAKARIA, WHO STANDS ACCED OF PLAGIARIZG DOZENS OF ARTICL, CLUDG THE VERY FIRST ONE HE WROTE FOR TNR AS A LOWLY TERN BACK 1987. ZAKARIA ALSO EARNED THE DUB HONOR OF APPEARG ON THE MAGAZE’S 2011 LIST OF “OVERRATED THKERS” (“A BAROMETER A GOOD SU, A CREATURE OF TABLISHMENT NSENS, AN EXEMPLARY SPOKMAN FOR THE ALWAYS-EVOLVG MIDDLE.”) BUT TO HUGH, WG AND DG THIS MEDIA STAR WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROTECTG THE TEGRY OF THE STUTN WHOSE REPUTATN HE CLAIMS TO RE SO MUCH ABOUT. HUGH’S ALLEGED FIDDLG WH THE SEATG PLAN FOR THE CENTENARY DNER, AT WHICH HE RELEGATED THE MAGAZE’S STAFF TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM, BROUGHT TO MD THE PATHETIC MEMORY OF JIMMY CARTER MANAGG THE SCHLE OF THE WHE HOE TENNIS URT.ELDRIDGE’S PATH TO FAME IS EVEN MORE ACCINTAL. IN 2010, HE DROPPED OUT OF LAW SCHOOL TO TAKE UP A JOB AS MUNITNS DIRECTOR FOR A GAY-RIGHTS ANIZATN, AN APPOTMENT SOON FOLLOWED BY HIS HBAND’S DONATN OF A QUARTER-LN DOLLARS TO THE GROUP. NE MONTHS AFTER HUGH TOLD NEW YORK MAGAZE, “HE’S 26. HE’S GOG TO DO ALL KDS OF THGS POLICS, BUT I DON’T THK THERE’S ANY SH,” TO N FOR OFFICE, ELDRIDGE ANNOUNCED HIS NGRSNAL NDIDACY.EVEN BY THE ALREADY MONEY-DRENCHED STANDARDS OF AMERIN POLICS, THE ELDRIDGE MPAIGN WAS A JAW-DROPPG SPECTACLE TO BEHOLD. IN PREPARATN FOR A MPAIGN, ELDRIDGE TABLISHED HUDSON RIVER VENTUR, SENTIALLY A VOTE-BUYG APPARAT MASQUERADG AS AN ENOMIC-VELOPMENT PROJECT, TO W OVER SMALL-BS OWNERS AND THEIR EMPLOYE. HE THEN TRAIPSED AROUND THE DISTRICT DISPENSG “VTMENTS” RANGG OM $50,000 TO $500,000 TO LOL PANI. THE UPLE THEN BOUGHT A PROPERTY THE TOWN OF SHOKAN, NEW YORK’S 19TH DISTRICT, JT MONTHS AFTER ELDRIDGE TOLD THE TIM THAT WAS THEIR ORIGAL MANSN, THE 18TH, WHERE “WE PUT DOWN ROOTS, WHERE WE WANT TO HAVE A FAY.”ELDRIDGE RETAED SKDKNICKERBOCKER, A HEAVY-HTG DEMOCRATIC POLIL NSULTG FIRM, WHICH ALSO HAPPENED TO BE DOG PUBLIC-RELATNS WORK FOR HIS VTMENT FUND. “CANDIDAT WHO EMPLOY PEOPLE THE DISTRICTS THEY’RE NNG ENJOY SOME ADVANTAG. WHAT’S SO UNUAL ABOUT THIS SUATN IS THAT HE’S BEG SO TRANSPARENT ABOUT ,” PL HERRNSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSY OF CONNECTICUT’S ROPER CENTER FOR PUBLIC OPN REARCH, TOLD POLI. LACKG ANY SENSE OF IRONY, ELDRIDGE MA MPAIGN-FANCE REFORM A SIGNATURE PLANK.TO NO ONE’S SURPRISE EXCEPT, PERHAPS, THE PAMPERED UPLE, ELDRIDGE LOST THE RACE TO THE REPUBLIN CUMBENT 65 PERCENT TO 35 PERCENT. IN LIGHT OF THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY HUGH DUMPED TO THE RACE, WAS ONE OF THE MOST HUIATG FEATS THE LAST ELECTN CYCLE. BUT ELDRIDGE’S POLIL AMBN IS NOT LIKELY TO BE SATIATED. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BEFORE HE EVER ANNOUNCED HIS NDIDACY, A SOURCE CLOSE TO ELDRIDGE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD SKDKNICKERBOCKER DRAW UP A PLAN FOR HIM TO BEE THE FIRST OPENLY GAY PRINT OF THE UNED STAT (ELDRIDGE WAS BORN CANADA AND UNTIL RECENTLY HELD BOTH CANADIAN AND ISRAELI CIZENSHIP, WHICH WOULD MAKE DIFFICULT TO OVERE THE CONSTUTN’S NATURAL-BORN CIZENSHIP CLSE). EXPECT THE UPLE TO FD ANOTHER MANSN A SAFE DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT WHERE AN AGG REPRENTATIVE IS EXPECTED TO RETIRE.ONE SPECTS THAT HAD THIS UPLE BEEN HETEROSEXUAL AND NSERVATIVE, THE IAL MEDIA ATTENTN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN QUE SO TOADYG. WE WOULD HAVE NO DOUBT BEEN TREATED TO ENDLS STORI ABOUT HOW A “RAPAC” “RIGHT-WG” LNAIRE, WHO HAD DONE NOTHG TO EARN HIS FORTUNE, SET OUT TO STROY ONE OF LIBERALISM’S GREAT STUTNS ALL THE WHILE ENABLG HIS POWER-MAD SPOE TO “BUY” A SEAT CONGRS. BUT EVERYTHG ABOUT THE HUGH-ELDRIDGE PAIRG ATED AGAST SUCH A PORTRAYAL. THE PROSPECT OF A H-FACED, NVENTNALLY LIBERAL, GAY UPLE H EVERY MEDIA SWEET SPOT. HUGH AND ELDRIDGE ARE NOT “ROLE MOLS FOR A FUTURE GENERATN OF… GAY PEOPLE,” AS THE ADVOTE ABSURDLY STATED. THEY ARE LTLE MORE THAN ENTLED BRATS WHO, LIKE MOST FABULOLY WEALTHY ARRIVIST WHO ATTA THEIR FORTUN THROUGH SHEER LUCK RATHER THAN HARD WORK, ARE ED TO GETTG EVERYTHG THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT , AND THROW TEMPER TANTMS WHEN THEY DON’T.IN THEIR ELISM AND SENSE OF ENTLEMENT, THEY REPRENT MUCH OF WHAT LIBERALS ARE SUPPOSED TO SPISE. MOST THE MEDIA AND GAY MUNY WERE PERFECTLY WILLG TO IGNORE THIS IMPOSTURE WHEN THE UPLE WAS THROWG THEIR MONEY AT THE RIGHT AND DISPENSG JOBS TO THEIR JOURNALIST AND POLIL NSULTANT IENDS. HUGH AND ELDRIDGE WERE BENEFICIARI OF A RPT AND PLIANT MEDIA AND POLIL TABLISHMENT THAT GRASPED AT THEIR FILTHY LUCRE. ONLY NOW THAT THE FAIRY TALE HAS E CRASHG DOWN—A MAGAZE STROYED, A VASTATG POLIL LOSS SUFFERED—IS THE HERD WILLG TO ADM THE OBV. UPDATED TUDAY, DEC. 9, 2014: STATEMENT OM ANA DUNN, SKDKNICKERBOCKER: “THE SUGGTN THAT SKDKNICKERBOCKER DREW UP A PRINTIAL PLAN FOR SEAN ELDRIDGE IS UNTE AND LUDICRO ON S FACE, AS WE HAVE TOLD OTHER REPORTERS WHO ASKED ABOUT THIS URBAN MYTH. SEAN’S GOAL IS TO SERVE CONGRS AND WE WERE PROUD TO WORK WH HIM ON HIS MPAIGN.” JAM KIRCHICK

The Facebook -founr and his polilly amb hband embodied all the attribut of a bona fi “gay power uple.

WHEN TO SAY CHRIS HUGH IS GAY

At the same time, Eldridge was quietly preparg to n for Congrs upstate New, handsome, Ivy League-pedigreed, rich (“the wealthit openly gay men unr 30” acrdg to The Advote, a stretch nsirg that the fortune belongs to Hugh), and pog predictably liberal polil views, the Hugh-Eldridge partnership was sted to work wonrs for swiftly thgs change. The uple had purchased a $2 ln home the district exprsly so that Eldridge uld n there, their purchase of a $5 ln mansn the adjog 18th havg e to nght after that seat was won by another gay Democrat Hugh bought The New Republic for an undisclosed sum ls than three years ago, members of the media tripped over themselv to flatter the young Harvard graduate and his hband (Full disclosure: I was on the edorial staff of TNR om 2007 to 2009, and a ntributg edor om 2010 until last year, dropped om the masthead before was ol).

At their 4, 000-square-foot, $5 ln SoHo loft, Hugh and Eldridge hosted fundraisers for Nancy Pelosi and Andrew Cuomo, and raised money for worthy like gay marriage. All the while they racked up favorable verage the mastream prs, and even more syphantic mentns the gay prs. In 2010, he dropped out of law school to take up a job as munitns director for a gay-rights anizatn, an appotment soon followed by his hband’s donatn of a quarter-ln dollars to the group.

Several years ago, before he ever announced his ndidacy, a source close to Eldridge told me that he had SKDKnickerbocker draw up a plan for him to bee the first openly gay print of the Uned Stat (Eldridge was born Canada and until recently held both Canadian and Israeli cizenship, which would make difficult to overe the Constutn’s natural-born cizenship clse). The prospect of a h-faced, nventnally liberal, gay uple h every media sweet spot.

IS STEVE HUGH GAY?

Hugh and Eldridge are not “role mols for a future generatn of… gay people, ” as The Advote absurdly stated. Most the media and gay muny were perfectly willg to ignore this imposture when the uple was throwg their money at the right and dispensg jobs to their journalist and polil nsultant iends.

Gay.