Kristol Clear
Glad to report that my experiment in the arcane art form of sculpting less than 150 words into the NYT--a sort of haiku equivalent--met with some success this morning:
To the Editor:
In order to impugn “the quality of thought of the Democrats’ academic and media supporters,” none of whom he names or quotes, William Kristol drafts George Orwell, who wrote in 1942 that “a permanent and pensioned opposition” suffers a deterioration in “the quality of its thought.”
By Mr. Kristol’s reasoning, the belligerent right that was out of power from 1932 into the 1970s should have been terminally shriveled by the time it came to power with Ronald Reagan in 1981. Perhaps its long exile explains the ruinous fatuousness of such manifestoes as the declaration on Sept. 20, 2001, that failure to invade Iraq “will constitute an early and perhaps decisive surrender in the war on international terrorism” — a declaration by William Kristol and fellow conservatives.
Todd Gitlin
New York, Feb. 18, 2008
The writer, a professor of journalism and sociology at Columbia University, is the author of several books about politics.
Kristol's deceitfulness arises out of his mixing up tenses, purposefully.
Granting the telecoms immunity from suits for past illegal cooperation with the government has little to do with their willingness to cooperate with the government in the future under the terms of a statute which authorizes that cooperation. Note: telecoms are regulated companies and practically, and in either case, will do pretty much whatever the government tells them to do.
But it does bother me that the Congressional leadership has not made it clear to the American people why these telecom suits are vital -- are the only avenue still open -- 1) to learning what illegal actions the government carried out and 2) to defending the idea that we are a nation of laws, first, and not merely of men -- a democracy and not a tyranny. Pity!
February 20, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well said, thank you.
I do not think the issue could be more important. I'm proud of Chris Dodd, my other state senator. He's acting like a Democrat on this, and other issues.
I read Todd's letter this morning in the Times. I was so very happy to see it.
;)
February 20, 2008 7:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Go get 'em, Todd!
And thanks.
February 20, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bravo, Todd!
On that note, here's another great takedown Bill Kristol's Obscure Masterpiece, based on a 'lost' transcript of Kristol on C-Span's Washington Journal on March 28, 2003, where he was taken apart by Daniel Ellsberg, during their exchange, where Ellsburg exposed Kristol's faulty memory every time Kristol tried to hang one on.
February 20, 2008 11:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Welcome to the letter club. Go for New Yorker next. Nicely said, BTW, but you're the pro.
Congress is squeamish because the principals enabled much of the activities in question.
February 21, 2008 12:09 AM | Reply | Permalink