An Aesthetic Masterpiece

Kevin Walsh loves Drudge’s design. Althouse seconds:

There’s something about Drudge that makes us want to look at it all the time. The sense that this is what the news looks like right now feels so right, even if you know it’s wrong. Even that wrongness is part of the addictive power. Everything works exactly as it should.

Many years ago, on a pilgrimage to meet the Yoda of the web, Drudge told me how proud he was of how ugly his site was. He vowed never to change its tabloid crudeness or its sublime simplicity. It remains a model of economy and panache. Remember: only two people really run it. Think of how many people contribute to HuffPuff, how bewildering the design is, how impenetrable it can seem to a newcomer. But Drudge is as accessible and as simple as ever. It’s a brand he created out of thin air. And changed the media for ever. By courage and sheer hard work.

If only he hadn’t screwed up the election coverage. He missed the story. Drudge never used to miss the story. But he’ll recover.