Wow.

Jill Abramson has been dismissed as executive editor of The New York Times and is being replaced by Dean Baquet, the managing editor, an abrupt change in leadership at one of the nation’s largest daily newspapers.

She should have freed herself from Keller's influence and recognized that when a change like that is made, it's made with good reason and you don't cling to the male leaders who supported you personally in the past.

I also wonder if women of her generation, like Gail Collins, understand how they sound when they continually push for women in the top positions.  Don't attribute your rise to your gender.  If you're good, attribute it to your being the best person for the job.  Ditto the people you publish, and hire.

Nobody wants to be beat out by someone, in sports or on the job, because of outside influence.  Don't say you're hiring women (it's like you've gone fishing only with a binder full of female resumes.)  Make some pretense at least that the job is open to everyone, and you're going to look at job qualifications -- not gender -- to fill the open slots.

Don't tell me we have to tilt the game, either, just to get women represented.  Plenty of skilled players, who happen to be women, can compete for the top jobs.  When you stress the "appointment of many senior female editors as one of her achievements", what message does that send to qualified others?

Also, why cling to Keller, whose performance was ... not tops?
If you're blazing an independent path, and were hired for your new perspectives, why would you want to follow what has proven not to work in the industry in the past?

I strongly believe the country is better off when we hire people based on what they know, not who they know.  I know, I know... I'm in a minority on this one.  Idealist thinking that won't pay the bills in reality.

Still, one hopes... no matter how much hope has been devalued in recent days.
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ADDED:  I can't help but thinking that Abramson being replaced by Baquet is a bit like Quinn losing the mayoral race to DeBlasio.

What goes around, comes around...