Photo by James Calder on Flickr.

Greater Greater Washington is the subject of the cover story in this week’s City Paper, about how our little ragtag band of bloggers here is getting to be a little bit influential.

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What did you think of the piece?

My favorite bit is Chris Zimmerman’s insightful quote about the forces shaping WMATA coverage in the Post and Examiner (though I do think Kytja Weir has been doing a great job), followed by the part about how Richard Longstreth might be able to make a persuasive-sounding case to landmark a pile of dirt. If you don’t get the Eleanor Roosevelt reference, it was an allusion to Falkland Chase.

And aw, shucks, Rob Pitingolo.

Is our group too white, as DePillis wonders? It’s too bad Dan Reed had decamped for grad school in Philadelphia by the time that Hyattsville meetup happened, else he’d very likely have been there. And we’re always happy when Bradley Heard has time to write something. But yes, we’re pretty white, as are planners in general, and it’d be really great to increase our diversity.

DePillis is pointing out an issue that I’ve long known we need to address. Since we don’t pay anyone, I’m limited in how much I can influence this. But we’re always looking for contributors, of any race, gender, age or other characteristic. The only requirement is quality, and a general fit with our philosophy. Email info@ggwash.org if you’d like to write for us.

Richard Layman also raises a point about the challenge of building relationships with insiders versus attacking them. It’s a tough line all journalists walk. In our case, we criticize agencies and officials when warranted, but also try to be be fair and understand the challenges people on the inside face.

When it comes to Jim Graham, I’d just note that I criticized the DC USA parking garage, one of the listed issues, in February 2008, March on bike parking, May twice, June, a New York analogue, March and April 2009 … you get the idea.

The thing about Jim Graham is that you just have to understand where he’s coming from. He’s very much a politican, and makes decisions based on what voters want. But that means all you have to do to win is get a lot of Ward 1 voters to support your policy. He also has an absolutely first-rate staffer in charge of transportation, which counts for a lot. Finally, that quote from me at the end of that section is the only one I’d say was a wee bit out of context.

I also have just a few little nitpicks. Remarkably few, actually, given the amount of content in the piece. One of the little Metro-line graphics lists ANCs among the “anti” groups. Sometimes they are anti, but some ANCs are terrific. Last election cycle, a bunch of good candidates won many Ward 3 ANC seats, turning several ANCs from knee-jerk naysayers to constructive participants in neighborhood visioning.

Also, I wish I could take credit for the bag fee, but that one was all amazing legislative legwork by Tommy Wells and his staff.

DePillis’s piece is quite balanced, and pretty accurate for an article of its length. As someone who does a fair bit of journalism myself, I know how hard it is to say a lot and be absolutely precise in every tiny, mostly-irrelevant detail.

So what if Drinking Liberally really met in Manhattan, not Brooklyn, or Jaime hadn’t quite yet started planning school at the time she started contributing, or if the landmarked Brutalist church at 16th and I is Third Church, not First Church (which is up in Columbia Heights); you’re not going to go fundamentally wrong reading it, and DePillis deserves good marks for a tough job well done.