“Bill Bennett is a hypocrite, a loathsome fungus on the tree of American politics, a man who has worked unceasingly to make America a worse place–when he’s not publishing the work of others under his own name, or rolling the dice at Las Vegas while claiming that America’s poor would be rich if only they had the righteousness and moral fiber that he does. But Bill Bennett is not afflicted with genocidal fantasies about ethnically cleansing African-Americans. The claim that he is is completely, totally wrong.” – Brad DeLong, on his blog. I too was sent dozens of emails calling Bennett out on his alleged racism. But it seemed unfair to me, given the full context of his remarks which are empirically hard to refute and whose immorality he went at length to emphasize. By the way, I differ from the extremity of DeLong’s remarks about Bennett, although I’m not a fan. (Hat tip: Patrick Semmens.) Runner up in this case: Matt Yglesias himself.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Hellerstein should be drawn and quartered.” – a guest on the Bill O’Reilly show last night, referring to Judge Hellerstein who ordered the release of the full Abu Ghraib photos. He was the one defending the notion that commanders should be held responsible for abuse of prisoners! I would have thought Fox News, given recent events, would try not to broadcast violence-laden attacks on judges.
BUSH AND GENEVA: Greg Djerejian notes some delicious ironies.
ANTI-GAY SLEAZE IN MASS: The petition irregularities to ban marriage and civil unions for gays are mounting up. By the way, the polls suggest that, if held today, the initiative would fail. At the rate the Massachusetts polls are moving in favor of equal marriage rights, I can’t see its chances improving by 2008.
SOURCES: RealClearPolitics wants me to clarify the source of those quoting Donald Rumsfeld’s alleged hostility to the revelations of Ian Fishback. They have a fair point, given the gravity of the issue. Obviously, I don’t reveal sources, especially in a sensitive matter like this. But in this case, it behooves me to say that a very reliable source who has consistently provided very accurate information in the past gave me the information that a third party used the words attributed to him about Rumsfeld. I did not speak directly to the third party. Yesterday, I contacted the source again. The source does not retract the quote, which is attributed to a third party. But others I have since been in contact with, who are just as familiar with the situation, and one who is more so, differ and have said that the quote is unfair to Rumsfeld and that while Rumsfeld is following the case very closely, his view is not as extreme as that quote suggested; that he is merely paying very close attention to the case; and concerned about the accuracy of the accusations. By the way, I am trying to find a way to get emails of support to Fishback. I’ll report back if and when I find one.
The Dish 