Nancy Pelosi Hires Think Progress' Faiz Shakir As Director Of New Media

Nancy Pelosi has hired Faiz Shakir to be her online director.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is tapping a prominent progressive blogger well schooled at the intersection of opposition politics and online reporting to serve as head of her online operations.

Faiz Shakir, the editor-in-chief of Think Progress, the highly influential blog for the think tank Center for American Progress, is leaving to become Pelosi's director of new media and senior adviser.

Shakir is hardly the first blogger to leave that corner of the media universe for service in public office. But his departure from Think Progress nevertheless represents a major development for the site. He has been with Think Progress since 2005, during which time he helped build it into an outlet not just for progressive policy analysis but also for breaking, often oppositional, reporting. The level of success was best exemplified this past year, when a group of conservative operatives and reporters launched the imitation website FreeBeacon.com.

"Faiz leaves us in an incredibly strong position in terms of the deep reservoir of talent he has recruited to the blog and a record-setting March with 4.7 million unique visitors," said Center for American Progress' Action Fund president, Tom Periello, in an email to staff. "His talent, tendency towards innovation, and tenacious spirit will be missed, but he will not be far away and we wish him the best of luck in his next progressive adventure."

Shakir will be replacing Karina Newton, Pelosi's long-serving new media director, who is leaving to travel the world with her husband, Nico Pitney, The Huffington Post's former managing editor. Taking over Shakir's role at Think Progress will be Judd Legum, who founded the blog before leaving to serve as research director for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and then run for state office. (Legum returned to Think Progress in February 2011.) Igor Volsky, who has worked for Think Progress for four years, will become deputy editor.

Shakir has prior experience working in congressional roles and on campaigns. He served as a legislative aide to Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.) and as a communications aide in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He also worked as a research associate for the Democratic National Committee.

Amanda Terkel contributed reporting.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[Guy ForFun]

09:48 PM on 05/13/2012

Numerous places I've seen 'leader Pelosi'. She is labeled minority leader...but the puke libs don't seem to want to acknowledge that?

[grip76ping]

06:17 PM on 05/08/2012

Hey you can,t get no where trying to bash Nancy Polosi when the whole world seen her handing the gavel to a whimpering bawling John Boehner.You can,t erase it,it,s there and it always will be there just waiting for some one to bring it up.

[edejan]

04:52 PM on 05/08/2012

Good move, Nancy. Let's look forward to O's next term and your return to House leadership. With a show of favor for progressives with this appointments, you'll bring many of us back to the Dem fold.

[somearelost]

04:51 PM on 05/08/2012

Think progress is a joke. Deleting all of my post's will not change that fact.

[Clevelandinwi]

04:09 PM on 05/08/2012

Still good people around - just not enough out in the open.

[VietVet67]

04:03 PM on 05/08/2012

Good luck, Faiz!

[idisVA]

03:32 PM on 05/08/2012

OT - The Bad Guys. - Enjoy Cable Chatter

http://core.talkingpointsmemo.com/tv/videos/america-vs-bad-guys?m=1

[sthead6979]

03:15 PM on 05/08/2012

Just another Socialist Piggg....

[edejan]

04:52 PM on 05/08/2012

Yeah, 13 fans, your opinion really jibes with HP posters. NOT.

[Willie12345]

03:11 PM on 05/08/2012

Is this guy a illegal alien ?

[Clarabell]

03:17 PM on 05/08/2012

"an" -- and probably to you

[maninthebooth]

03:50 PM on 05/08/2012

At least the "guy" is literate.

[Willie12345]

03:52 PM on 05/08/2012

OK, let's deport the "a" or "an" illegal alien.

[edejan]

04:54 PM on 05/08/2012

Well "you guys" think our President is an illegal alien. So by that reasoning, everyone who's not a neonutzie clanner is "a illegal alien" to you.

[Willie12345]

05:32 PM on 05/08/2012

I don't think the President is an illegal alien or anything special or unique. If the gentlemen in question is literate has yet to be proven. Most authors of propaganda are quite literate. Some can even do long division with assistance from the parents.

[idisVA]

02:40 PM on 05/08/2012

" Our models are the Center for American Progress / ThinkProgress, TPM, and Huff Po politics. These outlets have been at the cutting edge of ideological journalism for years, and it is time for the right to emulate their success. Our original reporting and commentary will hold the left to the same standards to whichll TP, TPM, and HP hold the right.

The Right Wing Blog - The Washington Free Beacon.

I said in my earlier post that Think Progress is the Gold Standatd that Right Wing Blogs have emulated. Here's one proof

[somearelost]

04:48 PM on 05/08/2012

Bwaahahahahaahahahaahahahahahahhahaahaahaaaaaaaa

[Left Hook]

02:36 PM on 05/08/2012

While your at it Nancy...Do or pay whatever is necessary to get Frank Luntz to bail on the conservatives...We need this guy - or someone that's his clone - in our camp lobbing focus-group rhetorical bombs back at the GOP, RNC and every other right wing group in the US.

No more Mr. Nice Guys - In the 1930s and 40's those were the first ones led into the chambers...

[MThomasNC]

04:21 PM on 05/08/2012

We don't need Luntz. We have democratic wordsmiths. They just have to be hired by DNC to do the job. Drew Westin, a wordsmith comes to mind.

[bhobcroft]

02:09 PM on 05/08/2012

Anything to try and shore up her lousy image... "we have to first pass the bill to find out what's in it" says it all. The hypocrisy continues...

[dfranz]

02:14 PM on 05/08/2012

Oh please. She was the most successful House Speaker in generations. The turkey in there now is neither in control nor effective.

[somearelost]

02:33 PM on 05/08/2012

I hear there's an opening at ThinkProgress. You'll fit right in with the rest of the loons

[Shankster]

02:58 PM on 05/08/2012

Its not that she did a lot her problem is what she did see where it got her, she is the one person that will guarentee the house will stay republican the dems won't win it again until she retires.

[nikky]

02:36 PM on 05/08/2012

i hope they really have a progressive because all those so called progressives that have gotten shows on msnbc now have changed their colors it is hard for me to look at any of them now

[ljc]

01:58 PM on 05/08/2012

Great choice....he is very good.

[dfranz]

02:18 PM on 05/08/2012

let's see, what did we get from the new failed ecconomic theory as envisioned by Republicans: 2 wars unfunded, unwarranted tax breaks, attempted dismantling of the most successful and popular government programs in history, (SS & Medicare), a record deficit and more unwarranted tax breaks.

[idisVA]

01:56 PM on 05/08/2012

Millions will miss him. Think Progress is a premier and authoritative site for those in the know.

[fshakir]

02:31 PM on 05/08/2012

Thanks for the kind words, idisVA. I really appreciate that there are so many activists/readers who have been central to supporting ThinkProgress and helping us build up our site. Thanks to you and to all of them. I'm excited for the new position with Leader Pelosi. I feel like she's as good a progressive leader as there is today, and she's certainly earned our support.

[isabella22]

03:01 PM on 05/08/2012

Don't you mean Minority Leader Pelosi? Words are important.

[idisVA]

03:05 PM on 05/08/2012

Shakir, I wish you every success in your new postion. Leader Pelosi is very lucky to have you on her Team as we are lucky to have her leading the Progressive push in these critical times. Good Luck.