The Democratic Party line, faithfully repeated as “news” by Rick Berke in the New York Times, is that Jim Jeffords’ defection is a result of Bush foolishly governing “from the right.” Huh? The only hard evidence of conservatism is the budget deal and tax cut, which Jeffords supported. The other major legislative achievements poised for passage are the Education Bill – a deeply bipartisan measure crafted by Ted Kennedy and boosting federal education spending by 30 percent – and the campaign Finance Reform Bill, crafted by John McCain. Ashcroft’s tenure at Justice has been moderate, bordering on liberal. Environmental policy is barely distinguishable from Clinton’s, except for terrible p.r., and a belated recognition that we need more energy sources. On abortion, which Berke dutifully cites, the administration has been completely AWOL. There hasn’t even been an attempt at a partial birth abortion ban, perhaps the minimum measure sought by the religious right. The administration is strikingly diverse on racial and gender matters and has reached out to gay Americans. Berke hauls out all the usual blowhards – from Bill Kristol to Bob Strauss (remember him?) to make what is a completely unsubstantiated case. Is this a sign of what Howell Raines has in store for the whole paper? Propaganda disguised as news? At the very least, this is over-interpreting Jeffords. If he hadn’t been able to tip the balance of the Senate, this would be a non-story, a quirky little regional piece on a fickle leftie trapped in a Republican Party were he clearly hasn’t belonged for twenty years. Jeffords was fine with the Gingrich revolution but balks at Bush? Give me a break. All this does, as I said yesterday, is ratchet down the chance that Bush will drastically remake the judiciary; make a bipartisan approach even more important for Bush; and put some real pressure on Daschle to deliver. It’s the status-quo ante with a twist. Whatever else it is, it isn’t an earthquake.
RIGHT-WING DORKS UNITE!: Kinsley has a typically smart piece about William Hague and his ilk. Only in Britain do the dorks and weirdoes actually run for office. Here, they run think-tanks, editorial pages, and, er, weblogs.
GO WEST: Dragging my near-expiring lungs into an Airbus 320 for a long weekend in San Diego with the new squeeze. Postings might be sporadic for the weekend if things go well. If they don’t, look for a forthcoming tirade against the idiocy of romantic love. No-one can say I’m not trying…
The Dish 