It’s unclear who the perpetrator was, but if he’s connected with Islamism, Europe could begin to experience the fruits of what Pim Fortuyn warned against. The French have just taken a hit too. Paris is already realigning quite solidly with the U.S. against Berlin, and this might accelerate the shift even further. Memo to Europe: wake up. It’s your war too.
ISN’T IT RICH, CTD: Many of Frank Rich’s points about the abdication of the Democrats on matters of war and economics are well taken. The Dems don’t offer any credible alternatives to the Bush administration’s policies right now. But does Rich? Has he proposed a real alternative? He wants no war with Iraq, but has no proposal for dealing with Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction, except a blizzard of potshots at John Ashcroft. Sure, he can’t wait to raise taxes. But has he thought for a moment what a big tax hike would do to an economy already beleaguered by soft demand? Rich, like the Democrats, has presented nothing credible as a solution to our problems. He just whines and preens; and then criticizes those who whine and preen. He’s part of the problem, as is his newspaper.
ROMENESKO WATCH, CTD: A reader notices another weird lapse in Jim Romenesko’s coverage of the media:
I’m a regular reader of MediaNews and couldn’t agree more that it is blatantly biased. One story that I was looking for there and never saw was the incident when NRO Columnist Joel Mowbray was briefing detained in July and not allowed to leave the State Department. The incident itself was minor and short, but a federal government agency wouldn’t allow a reporter to leave? Think that would have been big news if he worked for The NY Times? The Washington Post? The Cleveland Free Times (MediaNews loves the liberal alt-weeklies)? It was an especially obvious omission when you look at some of the other stories that are highlighted.
By the way, one of my reasons for reading it is amazement at the self-absorbed and self-righteous attitudes of so many of the writers – especially on the Letters page!! If there is any one place I would recommend someone go to see in action the insulated world of liberal journalism and the egos involved, it’s the MediaNews letters page. Catty; nitpicking; conservative-bashing; anti-business; whining about being underpaid; flailing at anyone who gets off the reservation; jealous of each other’s success; it’s like Melrose place, only less friendly…
I like to read it and remind myself that these are the people who say conservatives are mean and have no sense of humor.
He’s right. Go visit and make up your own mind.
The Dish 