The Kausfiles is a "mostly political" blog featured on Slate.com. It has been written by Mickey Kaus, author of The End of Equality, since 1999, and was one of the first political blogs. Kaus had previously worked as a journalist for Newsweek, The New Republic and Washington Monthly. A blog is a website for which an individual or a group frequently generates text, photographs, video or audio files, and/or links, typically (but not always) on a daily basis. ... Categories: Magazines stubs | Microsoft subsidiaries | Websites | The Washington Post ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ... Cover from the August 30th, 2004 issue. ... The Washington Monthly is a magazine based in Washington DC which covers American politics and government. ...

Mickey Kaus first wrote Slate's "Chatterbox" column in 1997 but started the Kausfiles in 1999 as a private blog. In 2002, he returned to Slate at the invitation of editor Michael Kinsley. During 2003, the daily readership of the Kausfiles varied between 15,000 and 30,000. Stylistically the blog is most notable for its interior monologues including the ruse of a non-existent editor. Media critic James Wolcott, in his book Attack Poodles and Other Media Mutants, uses Kaus as the archetypical example of a type of pundit he labels "counterintuitives". This type of pundit goes out of his way to stake out positions which run counter to conventional wisdom or, frequently, common sense, for the sole purpose of marvelling in his own cleverness. Less eloquent critics simply describe Kaus as a hack. 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2002 (MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Michael Kinsley (born March 9, 1951 in Detroit, Michigan) is a veteran American political journalist and commentator, currently serving as Editorial and Opinion Editor at the Los Angeles Times (since April 2004) (though he announced in July 2005 that he would assume a reduced, but as-yet-undefined, role). ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A monologue is a speech by one person directly addressing an audience. ... James Wolcott is an American journalist, well-known for his stylish critiques of contemporary media. ... It has been suggested that Hacking be merged into this article or section. ...

During the 2003 California recall, the Kaus:files uncovered an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger by Oui Magazine in which he boasted of participating in group sex. This post sparked a series of claims of sexual misconduct during Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding and acting career. Kaus later posted about a 1981 Today Show appearance where Schwarzenegger claimed that he deliberately damaged chimneys in order to boost demand for his bricklaying business, which was another scoop. The 2003 California recall was a special election permitted under California law. ... â–¶(?) (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian-American actor, Republican politician, and bodybuilder, currently serving as the 38th Governor of California. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Today Show (officially called Today) is currently, a long-running morning news show airing on the NBC television network in the United States. ...

During the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the blog displayed a strong and consistent distaste for John Kerry, despite the fact that Kaus endorsed Kerry and contributed to his campaign. Kausfiles has also consistently criticized the Los Angeles Times. Presidential election results map. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... The Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times) is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California and distributed throughout the western United States. ...

The blog also comments on the automotive industry, and Kaus irregularly files automotive-centric "Gearbox" columns on Slate. Kausfiles also attempted to transition to radio, making occasional contributions to the Slate/NPR show "Day to Day", an effort which moved prominent blogger Atrios to remark that Kaus had "a face made for radio, but a voice made for blogging". Automakers are companies that produce automobiles. ... Day To Day is a radio news and interest program hosted by award-winning correspondent Alex Chadwick. ... American Dr. Duncan B. Black, known under his internet publishing pseudonym as Atrios, is the author of the popular liberal weblog Eschaton, which receives an average of over 100,000 hits per day. ...

Nevertheless, on November 1, 2005, Kaus and journalist Robert Wright launched Bloggingheads.tv, a current events "dia-vlog." Kaus blazed more trails on the December 7 dialogue by using a call bell to herald a new discussion topic. November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Robert Wright, one of the clearest and most thoughtful writers of this or any era, is a visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Kaus has a brother, Stephen Kaus, who is a lawyer and occasional commentator on The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post (often shortened to HuffPost or HuffPo) is a left-leaning political group weblog founded by Arianna Huffington and Kenneth Lerer. ...

Further reference

• The Kausfiles blog

• Annotated copy of LA Times feature on Mickey Kaus

• Roger Ailes, noted Kausfiles critic