Since September 11, this blog has been galvanized by the need to fight the battle of ideas over the war against Islamo-fascism. That means exposing the vacuous nihilism of the academic left, the poisonous isolationism of the anti-war right, the thinly veiled anti-Semitism of some parts of the anti-war movement, the incoherence of the Democrats, and the p.c. delusions of much of the media. That’s also what has propelled the blogosphere into stardom – voicing what most people really think, sentiments and arguments that are routinely absent in many mainstream media outlets. But after last week, things have changed, haven’t they? A reader makes the following points:
I have been a very avid reader of your column in the Sunday Times for a number of years now, and for the past few months I have also read your Website daily. I am a huge fan, and applaud your hard work and diligent presentation. However, since last Wednesday, I have lost a bit of interest. The reason for this is nothing to do with your efforts, which have not diminished at all. Rather, the situation has changed dramatically, and I think you need to take account of this. WE HAVE WON. We won the mid-term elections … and we even won in the UN (quite how, I cannot imagine). We are now the majority, in control, and no longer victims of a left/liberal conspiracy to suppress the will of the American people through the imposition of an establishment elite’s left of centre viewpoint. Yes, the media is genarally biased, but in a nation where the Right is generally in control this is less of a worry than before – indeed it may even be a good thing. I am reminded of the last time I actually enjoyed reading the Village Voice. This was the early 1980’s, when Reagan was in power (because I along with so many others voted for him) and the conservative agenda dominated. Now the liberals are useful as gadflys – and you need to think about redefining your role.
I agree with this reader to some extent. It’s certainly clear to me that those of us who have been consistently anti-terror and anti-Saddam have scored a huge victory. I’d say the academic left and the left-liberal consensus in the media and Washington have been largely routed by events. But that doesn’t mean that many of these misguided individuals have genuinely seen the light. If and when war comes, they will still try to turn it against the West, spin every military victory as a defeat, and do all they can to undermine the Bush administration’s difficult job in this war. If another terrorist attack occurs, they will blame it on Bush and the West. There is a lull now, while the anti-war camp regroups. That’s predictable and understandable. Not only have they seen the American people vote decisively against them, they’ve even had to watch while Syria backs the U.S.’s new U.N. resolution. That must hurt. But they’ll be back. I don’t intend to go away.
RAINESPEAK: “The Parliament speaker, Saadoun Hammadi, also concluded that the assembly would leave it up to Mr. Hussein what to do.” – Neil MacFarquar, New York Times. Translation: “The appointed head of Saddam Hussein’s appointed rubber-stamp body of cronies, Saadoun Hammadi, confirmed that anything Saddam Hussein decided about anything would be fine by him, especially since he’d be shot dead and his family tortured and killed if he said anything else.” Readers are invited to contribute to a new and irregular feature, translating sentences in the New York Times into non-Orwellian English.
CLYMER WATCH: A reader points out even more elementary errors of fact in Adam Clymer’s piece on the Bush dynasty:
He’s even more ignorant than you make out. He claims that none of FDR’s sons attained even state office. In fact, two of them served in Congress–FDR Jr. for three terms from New York, James for five terms from California. And FDR was a fourth cousin once removed of TR, not a fifth cousin. And since WH Harrison died a month after taking office, the mot juste for his term is probably not “undistinguished” but “brief.”
Let’s just see how long it takes for the Times to post several corrections.
THE CHESHIRE SNIPER: A nightmare finally ends in violence. Time now to take on the real threat: ferrets.
KILLER SQUIRREL WATCH: This ad looks prescient now.
SONTAG AWARD NOMINEE: “You are a disgrace to this country and I am furious you would even think I would support you and your aggressive baby-killing tactics of collateral damage. Help you recruit. Who, top guns to reign [sic] death and destruction upon nonwhite peoples throughout the world? Are you serious sir? Resign your commission and serve your country with honour. No war, no air force cowards who bomb countries with AAA, without possibility of retaliation. You are worse than the snipers. You are imperialists who are turning the whole damn world against us. September 11 can be blamed in part for what you and your cohorts have done to Palestinians, the VC, the Serbs, a retreating army at Basra. You are unworthy of my support.” – Peter Kirstein, professor at Saint Xavier University, in response to an email from a cadet asking for help advertizing a political science assembly.
THE MINNESOTA RACE: Here’s the best retrospective you’ll find, with some wonderful new details. In retrospect, a political classic. It’s particularly telling that the Mondale campaign didn’t immediately grasp what a debacle the Wellstone memorial service was:
Mondale was merely a spectator Tuesday night, they reason. How can people blame him? Before they adjourn the press conference rehearsal, Ted asks what his father should say if he’s asked about Tuesday night. The sentiment in the room is that with Blodgett making a public apology and taking responsibility earlier in the day, that should take most of the heat off Mondale. As they meet, DFL pollster Paul Harstad is completing an overnight survey. Harstad finds that 73 percent of those interviewed agree that the memorial service went overboard — and 52 percent agree strongly. Furthermore, they are taking it out on Mondale. Mondale, who led Coleman by 52-39 percent in Harstad’s Sunday night poll, is tied 43-43 on Wednesday night. The percentage who feel positively toward Mondale has dropped 10 points, to 51 percent. And the percentage who say they feel positively toward Coleman has risen six points, to 50.
It really was that memorial rally that killed Mondale’s candidacy.
The Dish 