Eggen Headin' to the White House (And Do You Want To Head To Baghdad?)
From an internal Washington Post announcement, obtained by FishbowlDC:
After an action-packed, seven-year run of covering the Justice Department, the indomitable Dan Eggen will head up Pennsylvania Avenue and join Peter and Mike at the White House as they burrow into the final year of the Bush presidency. Since he took over the Justice beat in 2001, Dan has been the model of a hard-nosed beat reporter. He has dominated the big story of the moment — from the debate over expanded government surveillance powers in the wake of 9/11 to the U.S. Attorneys scandal and, of course, the turbulent tenure of Alberto Gonzales — and he’s ferreted all manner of scoops from the fortress that is Main Justice. If you were to kill a tree by printing out his clips since 2001, it would be immediately evident that he’s led the way in chronicling the Bush administration’s unprecedented efforts to expand its power to search, seize and surveil. He was part of the National team that won a Pulitzer for 9/11 coverage and he wrote the main story in the package of terrorism stories that was a Pulitzer finalist in 2006. As he enters the inner sanctum of the Bush administration, we will still count on him to help lead our coverage on legal issues related to national security.
Dan’s move to the White House beat means we’re looking for a smart, tireless and talented colleague to cover Justice and national law-enforcement matters. We’re seeking an experienced reporter and graceful writer who can do everything from long-form enterprise pieces to fast-turnaround stories on deadline. Having national law-enforcement and legal sources is a major plus.
And…
Within three months, Josh Partlow will wind up his fascinating and penetrating tour in Iraq. Josh’s dispatches brought us closer than ever before to the reality of the war with accounts of American soldiers during the surge. We expect Josh to head off to another foreign assignment soon, and we are now searching for a replacement.
The war remains an extremely high priority for us as it heads into a sixth year. We need a self-starting correspondent who will share the heavy burden of daily news coverage with Bureau Chief Sudarsan Raghavan and correspondent Amit Paley as well as generate distinguished enterprise. The correspondent will be expected to tackle a wide range of topics, including embeds and the military; politics; Iraqi society; and the many dimensions of daily life in Iraq. We place a high value on collegiality and teamwork with other Post correspondents, and with our sizeable Iraqi staff.
The job has the potential for incredibly rewarding and unforgettable journalism; there is no better example than the work of our crew there in recent years. At the same time, it involves personal risk and exposure to dangerous situations. We are committed to the highest possible protection of our people in the war zone, including training for hazardous duty.
The correspondent will be based in our bureau in Baghdad, working for stretches of six weeks to two months, with breaks outside Iraq. We are interested in sending someone as soon as March. This is a full-time foreign assignment. The duration is expected to be one year, but may be altered depending on our needs.
There is a leading candidate for this position. However, we welcome all inquiries, including those who would like to have an exploratory chat to learn more.
