As part of The Washington Post's launch of a new politics page yesterday, Ombudsman Andy Alexander took up the issue of the expanded coverage. But his lengthy take on PostPolitics.com read more like a commercial for the new site than a critical look at its effort, need and potential for success.

“The new PostPolitics.com site will draw on content from throughout the newsroom, including opinion columnists from the Op-ed Page,” he writes. “It offers a slick interactive map, allowing readers to click on a state or congressional district to see past Senate, House and gubernatorial election results and fundraising statistics. Visitors to the site also are given a variety of social media options."

Alexander, a former Washington bureau chief for Cox Newspaers and a top D.C. journalist, is among the best ombudsmen in the business and a class guy whose views rise above any hint of ethical problem or bias. That is why it would have been better to see his critical view of this venture, which is clearly frought with challenges and may well have a tough time succeeding against the likes of Politico or other growing political Web sites.