Category: The Dish

Just a reminder that this blog is inviting readers to participate in an online book club discussion of "The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It; How To Get It Back." Buy the book, email me criticisms, I’ll read as many as I can and have a third party (a Harvard smarty-pants) select the ten toughest critiques, and I’ll respond to each one on the blog. You’ve got till the end of the month to buy and read the book. And then the fun begins. More details here. Don’t forget Amazon’s 40 percent off discount.

"Frankly, I’m unsure what to conclude from this little debate. I will simply note how perplexing I find your own concluding remarks–about how my construal of the liberal bargain is dangerous because it might vindicate those "Christians and secularists alike" who have contended that there is a tension, sometimes requiring that a choice be made, "between Christ and the republic, between God and Caesar." Funny, I thought it was Christ himself who pointed to just such a tension at the core of the human condition.

Why is it that you, like the theocons I examine and criticize in my book, seem so terrified of the American republic falling short of Christ-like perfection? Why is it not enough that the United States be a good and decent country among good and decent countries? Why is it not enough for you and other pious Christians to enjoy the freedom to worship and pray and proselytize in peace? Why, despite your own better judgment, do you so steadfastly resist seeking your salvation outside of politics? Why do you insist on identifying the fate of your soul with the fate of your country?

You may well be right that, at least at this moment in our nation’s history, you have more of our fellow citizens on your side of this dispute than I have on mine. But that is precisely the problem – for American religion no less than America’s politics," – Damon Linker at TNR, debating Ross Douthat.

Linker nails it in these few paragraphs, but Douthat is, to my mind, easily the best defender of theoconservatism out there, and his arguments are worth reading as well.

Britain’s Chief of the General Staff says it’s time to leave Iraq. Money quote:

"Let’s face it, the military campaign we fought in 2003, effectively kicked the door in." Sir Richard Dannatt added that any initial tolerance "has largely turned to intolerance. That is a fact."
Sir Richard, who took on his role in August, also said planning for what happened after the initial successful war military offensive was "poor, probably based more on optimism than sound planning".

That’s putting it mildly.

We should start a campaign. Release him from TimesSelect. Same with MoDo and TF, Brooks and … well, they can keep Paul Krugman expensive. The evidence is in on online newspapers, and the economic case for keeping online news free is stronger than you might imagine.

A Virginia reader dissents:

1)  The poll you reference is obviously an outlier. Its findings are neither close to nor compatible with the trend line established by other polls.  As a Virginian, I can tell that it’s pretty ridiculous to claim anything about this race at this point – the advertising has just ramped up and most people are just now paying attention.

2)  Pundits don’t choose Senators. Voters do. Before the last state election, polls placed Jerry Kilgore with leads through much of October. Kaine still won.  Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have built a powerful movement in Virginia – the Democrats have picked up seats in the last two statewide elections. Allen’s ground game and plan haven’t been successful since 2000. Jerry Kilgore played the Rove card and couldn’t beat Tim Kaine, a classical liberal. 

Virginia is NOT a "Red State" as many want to paint it – it’s a very divided state where the population centers all vote Democratic. In the past rural votes have been more important, but as Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads area get larger the importance of rural Virginia wanes.  Allen can’t win many votes in Northern Virginia because his entire image is tailored for the rural areas. 3)  I’ve lived all over this beautiful Commonwealth and I know people all over the state.  When Mark Warner starts campaigning for Jim (which should start real soon now that he’s out of the presidential picture) his 70 percent approval rating will change this race.

Is there nothing that smoking pot cannot help? No wonder it’s illegal. It could put some pharmaceutical companies out of business.

(Hat tip: JFL.)

A moderate Muslim disagrees – and says MEMRI has exaggerated one atypical Muslim’s view.

I’m scheduled on "All Things Considered" on NPR at 5.35 pm ET, on Larry King on CNN between 9 and 10 pm, and on the Colbert Report at 11.30 pm. I was on the Brian Lehrer show in New York City this morning. You can listen to the audio by clicking on the play button below.

John Judis laments the end of some great journalism.