We are probably not a good Oppositionist. We really can’t fathom why some issues pre-occupy the Opposition. That’s not to say anything condescending — in fact, the defect is probably here. A tin ear is a tin ear. It’s certainly odd to see a melody manifest so demonstrably yet not hear the notes.
A perfect example? The weekend’s self righteous rage in certain quarters over Friedman’s latest banality. Of course he is inane. One could serve out a purgatorial sentence mining that vein. Perhaps it is just our tin ear again.
The London Times interviews Tony Blair looking back on the war. Much is recap already known. We just note this excerpt:
Some, including Colin Powell, have subsequently criticised Blair for never really facing Bush down. I put Powell’s words to Blair. “It wasn’t a bargaining chip for me,” he replied. “I wasn’t in a position where I was negotiating with him (Bush) in order to get him to do something different. In my view if it wasn’t clear that the whole nature of the way Saddam was dealing with this issue had changed I was in favour of military action. And, I am afraid, in one sense it is worse than people think in so far as my position is concerned. I believed in it. I believed in it then, I believe in it now.”
No surprise Blair comes out where he does. Powell, the Benchpresser and Wilkerson et al. again shifting the blame for war. Perhaps General Powell can explain it all to the angry British troops.
Commment says
Going well – Thanksgiving is a very effective, very useful holiday. Nice religio-politico balance, good for the consumer economy, good for the Industrial Turkey industry, good Bush when he pardons that bird in that increasingly dumb ceremony.
Dr Leo Strauss says
Thanks. Originally we were going to do a Richard Hamilton and just leave a white space for a few days. When the Aruba news broke we had to tune out.
Hope everyone’s holiday weekend is going well.
Commment says
Happy Thanksgiving Doktor – We figure Doktor Strauss would find Thanksgiving to be one of the most useful holidays. It has a nice religious undercurrent, but with no sectarian complications. In addition, it’s generally not controversial save among the unpopular academic left – Better yet, the patriotism at the core of the holiday reminds the simple man of the bold Winthrop years and Pilgrim pride more than the rebellious anti-crown years of 1776.
Now that your food is digested – what about that VDH wining a National Humanities award from Bush. Yikes.
Commment says
Rove on Charlie Rose is misleading without telling lies – He was speaking to GMU students recently was same.
Commment says
Ted Olson at the Federalist dinner introducing Spencer Abraham made an edgy crack at Michigan’s current Senators – It was off in tone. There was some edge to it – Most be some history.
Way too much discussion at Federalists of their so-called persecution. Recently Lady Black was lamenting her own persecution. This odd trend of the well to-do and influential pretening to be set upon is a pretty sad sight. With Amiel it’s understandable on a human level even though it is groundless. It’s common for people to lash out when they are in the middle of troubles. But the Federalist society is at a point of triumph – so stop whining.
Commment says
New America held a panel today on Middle East peace – It was complete waste of time
Commment says
Tonight Tweety treats a Scott McClellan book blurb as news – hopefully the opposition will not jump on this until further examination. But what really annoyed is Matthews obsession of wanting to know what neocons got in his head after 911. There is no evidence to suggest Bush did not plan to invade Iraq himself – Tweety just wants to defend Bush and make him a victim of his own administration. We are not defending the neocons – just scorning the good cop/bad cop schtick that allows people like Tweety to consistantly support pro war politicians like McCain (Irish? Martin Luther?) , Rudy, or his newet ‘Luther’ Huckabee.
Anon says
Did you know that The Third Man was an accidental book and movie? Graham Greeen did not pay his health insurance premiums and lost coverage (before NHS) and when he wanted to get a gastric bypass after a real piggy Christmas he went to Vienna for some surplus medicine:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article3172154.ece
cato90025 says
Hi–
What’s your take on the Sibel Edmond’s case. Is it safe to assume that Perle, Feith are Israeli moles–and the present political dynamics or monolithic structure preclude a bloodletting?
Comment says
Re Fund’s amusement – It should be noted that Fund is uncommonly good at this game. He did much to create the vibe around Whitewater. What was that all about? Did you read your 6 vol. collection of WSJ editorials about Whitewater? LOL. Poor Garance, just does not know – Neither do the others.
Fund knew that there was little stench around Obama’s personal life – So by coming to defend him on that and defend him on the other smear, he gets to recycle the smear , make Obama look weak, make Hillary look bad, trick liberals, claim to defend Obama, etc – Much more.
It’s worth examining why Fund is so good at this
Think about what the right and the Tweetyspehere have succeeded in doing – Talking about a non scandal for days, talking about drives licenses (irrelevant in fact) while two wars drag on with no end in sight.
Obama looked bad todays responding. He didn’t seem to get what happened.
Compare him to Cheney – shoots a man in the face, waits a day or so to sober up, ignores the press, gets the victim to apologize to him , and goes on to try to start more wars.
Anon says
In addition – she quotes Ben Smith above – Didn’t Ben Smith work for the NY Sun before he worked for the Politico?
The idea that his “opinion” about the Novak story is some sort of chin-scratching neutralism is truly a thin idea.
Again – people are entitled to their own opinions – This is not a diss aimed at Smith or Fund. But it is interesting to see the left liberal blogs play this game knowing they will lose.
Anon says
We just came accross a conspicuous example of what we discussed. GFR seems to think she is just relaying Fund’s thoughts on this – She appears to be totally unaware that Fund is just trying to recycle a meme by shaving off the implied sexual insinuations that were extant and using the carapace of the meme to attach the more substantial Chicago dirty politics charge. This is just obvious and Fund must be amused to see liberals playing along with him:
http://thegarance.com/archives/996
Comment says
As a small illustration of liberal weakness – One need only look at Michael Crowley on Tweety – We know from past statements that Crowley privately believed Tweety was wrong or lying when he was discussing Al Gore – Did Crowley respond to Tweety by saying, “Chris you have you facts wrong ….” or something similar? No – he did not even just dodge the issue or change the subject the way the more intelligent Zuckman does.
Rather – he said something that he did not personally believe ; He said, “Chris, you may be right …”
Like Ezra, he is afraid of losing his pundit seat so he let Matthews bitch him on air like that. Totally humiliating for Crowley.
Comment says
Just a small note on Larry Kudlow – we have little doubt that Kudlow is playing the falling dollar in a variet of indirect ways – Perhaps he is purchasing something that benefits from a stron Euro or whatever. But his TV performance is to ridicule those who point out the weakening dollar and the reasons – And he wraps a flag of patriotism BS around all of his comments – No doubt, he is aware that unsopesticated investors listen to him and invest in ways they think are patriotic. A good reporter could probably get a good story if they examined Kudlows investement and compared them to what his viewers think he buys – So Kudlow says he wants to switch out of Ahmadinejad because Ahmadinehah wants to switch out of the dollar? What does that mean – Notice Kudlow creates a phrase that is technically meaningless – But his listeners think they hear something else.
Comment says
Out of hatred and defensiveness Tweety is still lying about Al Gore, of all people – Tweety forgetting that the election is over and the use for the lies has expired.
It was a revealing moment – showing that he is more aware of those who are holding him accountable than he normally lets on.
Though it’s ok for Republicans to try to twist his poorly formed words about the internet, it’s important to know that Gore never said he invented the internet – A schmucky mind like Matthews can’t just admit he hated Gore and be done with it. He has to lie.
Gore was always a problem personality for Comment – But we know he never claimed to invent the internet and that no matter how you learn what words modify what – That cannot be said. Indeed – the people who did invent the internet Arpanet have credited Gore more than he has credited himself. But Tweety just stews in his own foul jealousy and guilt
Comment says
Perhaps the fact that some like to lose explains the otherwise inexplicable popularity of Dowd among liberals and even feminists.
But it’s just not believable that people do not understand how damaging the culture wars stuff is to Democrats. They just love to lose – Some it’s subconscious. It’s a mystery – but it’s also common sense. Since some people are just like that. But how clueless for them to quote conservative or neocon friends as if they are presenting both sides or a different point of view. It’s as if they didn’t know they were the enemy.
Dr.LeoStrauss says
Couldn’t have said it better. That’s it in a nutshell.
Comment says
Also – we had noticed on many of the liberal blogs – they spent several days exchanging theories about the rumor that never was – Often they would quote pundit friends of theirs who are on the right or neocons or linked to Republican campaigns.
It’s as if they have been sleep walking and they think they are still in grad school.
One of the big advantages the right has over the left in the meme wars is self-awareness. This is sort of ironic, but liberals so often contribute to spreading politically devastating rumors about their own candidates – They take comfort in their own above it all pseudo sophestication, but then whine when they lose elections. Some like to lose.
Comment says
What amazed Comment was that no one in the oppositional blogpsphere picked up on Novak’s conspicuous use of the word “agent.” They are hep to it now, but after two years of yapping about the word “opearative” you would think all these people who take such pride in their high verbal scores would notice such mischief.
Anon says
England expects every man to confront on Novak rumor:
http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/11/novak_admits_that_hillaryobama_smear_column_is_second_hand.php
Anon says
Culture clash – but make sure to scan down to the comment from Wiseguy (probably taking some dramatic license)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2007/11/18/2007-11-18_fbi_appalled_at_cia_veteranss_defense_of-1.html
A Random Quote says
“I have faith in the American people – I just do.”
~John Edwards
Politics & Eggs speech
11-7-07