An excellent use of the word "denies" in the New York Times headline New Commentary Editor Denies Neo-Nepotism.
Yes, John Podhoretz denies that nepotism had anything to do with him following in his father's footsteps as editor of Commentary, but why should that stop an exploration of the strangely unmeritocratic family firms of neoconservatism - the Kagans, Kristols and the Podhoretz clan (who have a third generation, Norman Podhoretz's grandson, in place as Commentary's online editor).
A defence of the practice comes from Adam Bellow, son of Saul, who argues:
The second generation tends to overcompensate for nepotistic advantages.
Really? Because he has won two Nobel prizes?
