To Roger Ebert.
Category Archives: Media Criticism
The Latest Racist Code Word
“Team Obama Grows Stupid”
I disagree with Michael Barone:
The same people who directed the campaign that defeated Hillary Clinton and routed John McCain, a campaign that raised far more money and attracted far more volunteers than any before it, have within a year come up with a legislative program that is crashing in ruins and that, to judge from recent polls, has left the Democratic party weaker than I have seen it in almost 50 years of closely following politics.
The 2008 campaign was an impressive achievement. So, in a negative way, is the 2009 legislative program that has left the Democrats in such woeful shape in 2010.
My disagreement is that I don’t think they were ever smart. They beat Hillary because there was a lot of antagonism toward her in her own party, and because her campaign was complacent, and “inevitable.” They beat McCain because people were angry at Republicans, he ran a lousy campaign, the economy melted down, the media were cheerleaders and refused to cover or vet him, and people wanted to feel good about voting for the black guy. And even with all that, he only got 53%. I don’t now, and never have subscribed to the notion that he “ran a brilliant campaign.” He was just the right guy in the right place at the right time. And now that the campaign is over (though you’d never know it from his rhetoric) and has to actually govern, something that he’s never had to do before, the shortcomings are apparent. Unfortunately for them, they believed too much in their own press releases, and the fawning media coverage. Fortunately for the country, he’s inoculated us against leftists for another generation.
But Don’t Call Him Anti-Semitic
Some questions for Andrew Sulllivan, from Pejman Yousefzadeh. I like the last one the best.
Oh, and don’t call this guy anti-semitic, either:
…don’t worry. I’m sure it’s only “anti-Zionist”.
Of course.
The Civil War On The Right
…that isn’t happening. Actually, I think that the Democrats have a lot bigger problem on this score, as they continue to abandon ship, and eat their own.
Related thoughts from Rich Lowry.
Captain America
…apparently hates Americans. Though I liked the Fantastic Four and Spiderman when I was a kid, I’ve never been a big Marvel fan. This is just one more reason.
The Great IPCC Meltdown
When the glacier story broke, IPCC apologists returned over and over again to a saving grace. The bogus glacier report appeared in the body of the IPCC document, but not in the much more carefully vetted Synthesis Report, in which the IPCC’s senior leadership made its specific recommendations to world leaders. So it didn’t matter that much, the apologists told us, and we can still trust the rigorously checked and reviewed Synthesis Report.
But that’s where the African rain crisis prediction is found — in the supposedly sacrosanct Synthesis Report.
So: the Synthesis Report contains a major scare prediction — 50% shortfall in North African food production just ten years from now — and there is no serious, peer-reviewed evidence that the prediction is true.
But there’s more. Much, much more.
You wonder at what point, if any, the warm-monger worshippers will realize that they’ve been scammed?
And as Mark Steyn notes (again), it’s not just a science scandal, it’s a scandal of gross journalism malpractice.
[Update a few minutes later]
Time to follow the money.
Why The Dems Are In Big Trouble
The Tea Parties are not just a fringe movement, according to John Zogby, who’s no Republican. As he shows, they’re particularly vulnerable on the war.
The Peasants Are Revolting
Well, in any event, I’m sure that the Democrats are revolted by them.
A Nation Of Racist Dwarfs
A few days ago I asked whether North Korea was right-wing or left-wing, and whether racism is intrinsic to either “wing.”
This sort of thing is what spurred the questions.