So Gail Collins, the first double-x chromosomed human to head up the NYTs editorial page, will be stepping down at the end of the year. She's gonna do the typical "book leave" thing and then return to the "nice lady" column slot previously inhabited by Anna Quindlen. (We're all for the idea of having two female op-ed columnists in the Times, if only to reduce the general feeling of dickishness induced by John Tierney.) Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., described her tenure thusly:

Under Gail's direction, The Times's editorial page has grown in its journalistic scope and its physical scale. She has seen us through the horror of 9/11, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a time of great political turmoil. Her lasting legacy will be the expansion of the Sunday editorial pages from two to three, her supervision in the creation of Times Select and the development of editorial pages for each of our Sunday regional sections.

Also supporting this administration's duplicitous march to an unpopular war that is closing in on its 3000th dead American soldier, but, hey, more Frank Rich! It sort of evens out, right?

Replacing Collins is Andrew Rosenthal, current deputy editor and son of former homo-hating executive editor Abe Rosenthal. We'd make some joke about how these kind of dynastic successions at the Times are almost never a good idea, but let's be honest, it's the editorial page, who gives a shit? Also, we're pretty sure that David Brooks' kids are writing his columns right now, so there's plenty of precedent. Congratulations, Gail and Andy!

Times Announces Change in Editorial Page Editor [NYT]