Month: November 2008

Jonah Goldberg:

National Review is not, and has not been, an unalloyed intellectual defender of the Bush administration.

True. Very alloyed, but never at the risk of ever really making a difference.

"It’s kind of like Wasilla, Alaska, except that it’s different,” – William Ayers, unrepentant terrorist, on the neighborhood of Hyde Park.

Huckabee settles scores in his new book:

He calls out Pat Robertson, the Virginia-based televangelist, and Dr. Bob Jones III, chancellor of Bob Jones University in South Carolina, for endorsing Rudy Giuliani and Romney, respectively. He also has words for the Texas-based Rev. John Hagee, who endorsed the more moderate John McCain in the primaries, as someone who was drawn to the eventual Republican nominee because of the lure of power. Huckabee says he spoke to Hagee by phone before the McCain endorsement while preparing for a spot on Saturday Night Live. "I asked if he had prayed about this and believed this was what the Lord wanted him to do," Huckabee writes of the conversation. "I didn’t get a straight answer."

Tee shirts celebrating the victory of President-elect Barack Obama are offered for sale at a shop on Michigan Avenue November 17, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. Obama, a long-time resident of Chicago, has set up his presidential transition office in the federal building a few blocks off Michigan Avenue. By Scott Olson/Getty Images.

"There need to be consequences, and they cannot be insignificant," – Delaware congressman, Tom Carper, a close ally of Joe Lieberman, on Lieberman’s fate tomorrow at the hands of the Senate Democratic caucus.

A reader writes:

"Midget," used here, is a highly offensive term to little people.

It’s also disappointing that someone who champions rights of a minority group during this critical time for human rights would display such a lack of sensitivity as to mock Prince by comparing him to a minority of which he is not a member. Like being a dwarf (little person, person of short stature) is an insult. My daughter is little. I’m not ashamed of her. Are you saying I should be?

Essentially, what you’ve done would be like if a caucasian person you were angry at had a dark complexion and you referred to him as "colored" or "negro".

And all this in a post about tolerance? You’re better than that.

It’s not the first time you’ve published the word "midget" in your column. Last time I wrote to you to complain and as a defense you pointed out that you were merely quoting someone else. Well, this time it’s your own use of the word, Andrew. What do you say now?

Oy. I’m sorry.

This "Reliable Sources" episode was very good:

But again: the assumption here is that the Trig maternity story was obviously untrue. How do these reporters know that? I’m a little tired of being the asshole at the dinner party, but the truth is: we still don’t know for sure. We only have a letter released a few hours before voting began from Palin’s doctor, Catherine Baldwin Johnson, asserting that Palin was the biological mother of five. That letter could have been released in August, but wasn’t. Why? Then we have three photographs showing Palin somewhat pregnant but certainly not seven or eight months pregnant. And that’s it. Kurtz himself was part of a McCain-originated campaign to target other journalists to stop inquiring into the story. The circumstantial evidence was easily enough to have a mainstream journalist ask her about it. And yet none had the balls. Even when her own campaign told us she’s a "whack-job." In the end, Palin herself brought it up only to dismiss it and none of the "journalists" followed up.

Matt Lauer and Greta Van Susteren really are embarrassments to their profession.

Hilzoy is baffled by Jonah Goldberg:

I’d certainly love to know what part of my argument led Jonah Goldberg to think that I was actually saying anything about deference to experts, liberal or otherwise.

A word to Hilzoy: as anyone who has tried to read his book will testify, Jonah isn’t that bright, alas. He’s aware of the broad contours of conservative thought but he has learned them by rote. And so any specific attempt to apply them specifically to a changing world can befuddle him into incoherence, or, more often, snarky recitation of bromides. Think Palin with a college degree that isn’t about being a sportscaster. Which makes him qualified for the Supreme Court in the current GOP, but not exactly a sparring partner to equal Hilzoy.

The man who acted as Steve Schmidt’s stenographer and Sarah Palin’s p.r. outreach in the campaign is befuddled by media gushing over the first black president in a country founded on slavery. Jeez. I have no idea why anyone would get a little excited, do you?

Perez Hilton says an "insider" is claiming Prince was misquoted. The New Yorker’s fact checking department is among the best in the business. Mistakes do happen, but it would be nice if Prince at least refuted the charge himself. Meanwhile, anti-gay crusader, Maggie Gallagher, is a new fan.