Letters to the Editor
Alan Bennett
Published Letters: 256 Editor's Choice: 8
-
Haddad & Walsh
[Read the article: Ari Watch, continued]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This is what worries me: Joan talking about her MSM pals. Really. Hardball has done so much negative stuff and Haddad is at the centre of it. I have lost all respect for Hardball. And I find Joan's inside stuff just as bad. Are you all so well connected that you can hardly bear to criticise one another.
-
Democrat Waffling
[Read the article: The Democrats' responsibility in the wake of Gonzales' resignation]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Heard John Roberts interviewing Schumer on Chertoff. Schumer did not impress. He could have refused to discuss Chertoff but unable to control his need to talk he waffled. Not a good sign.
-
Conveyor Belt
[Read the article: Gloria Borger & the media's reverence for Karl Rove]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]GB was on the Chris Matthews show this morning and, on cue, trotted out the inside the beltway talking points; with the usual twists and flutters of facil expression as if imparting wisdom with her words. She is one in a long line of hacks that seem to be able to make a comfortable living sucking up to power. Her sources tell her things, she acts as a conveyor belt. The brain is never put to work.
-
The spectre of Specter
[Read the article: The return of Larry Craig?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Am I the only one to notice that when Sens Leahy and Specter reply to questions they always preface their answers with a reminder that they were prosecutor/DA. No matter how arcane the subject they find their X number of years in law enforcement qualify them to speak on any and all subjects.
On Sunday I did not get the impression that Specter had spoken to Craig. But the Roll Call voice mail suggests otherwise. So, it seem that Specter was deliberately choosing words to help Craig.
The continuing saga can only help show up the hypocrisy of the Republicans and a soap opera is in the works.
On the subject of public toilets as places for encounters, I wonder whether those who find this venue salubrious for their pursuits spare a thought for a man who takes his son in to use the facilities. I am all for allowing people to do whatever they need to do in private. But public washrooms?
-
Our cousins have both feet in a pile.....
[Read the article: The D.C. establishment versus American public opinion]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]When you listen to the qualifiers, the side steps, the shuffles and all the other verbal tap dancing that took place this week it is not surprising to find the US public way ahead of the punditocracy and the politicians (into which group I place their generalships). They do not expect much from Petraeus and they have rarely heard the word Crocker.
The depressing thing is that at a recent dinner across the pond attended by two senior defence types and a half a dozen diplomats and scholars the tabletalk was about how sad it is that their cousins are in this pile of manure in Iraq. I could take anger, disgust, swear words,contempt, but I cringed at being pitied and patronised. But heck, why are we wasting time on Iraq, leave that to Petraeus. We have to turn our sights on Iran: the WMDs they are a comin.
-
The Ed Gillespie Machine
[Read the article: A one-day guide to war supporters and their enablers]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree with sysprog. This report is a marketing exercise. For the WH and DoD it is all marketing all the time. Inconvenient facts get swept aside. Bush can rely on a sold core of McCainites/ Liebermans/ O'Hanlons to fight the good propaganda fight. The Democrats regretfully have in Reid and Pelosi two leaders who are very poor tv pitchmen(woman!). They look befuddled, they comes across as ludicrous when they try to look tough. Neither has any personality or the command of the language to be effective. (Aside: I think Bush has the same problem now: he looks foolish and obsinate when he tries to sound tough).
The Admen have taken over this war because Americans, even if they want a withdrawal of troops, are busy. Some are in the Malls or worrying about Britney Spears latest flub. Too many have to make a living: no sweetheart defense contracts for them or think tank top ups.
-
Swiftboating
[Read the article: A one-day P.R. win for the war]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I appreciate commenters who say that MoveOn did wrong with the Betray Us ad. On Hardball last night MoveOn defended itself. While I disagreed I thought they had a point. Why should the Republicans get to put out tough nasty stuff? because it works for them. Should the Democrats be tough and rough. I think so. Otherwise they will never overcome the Republican nastiness which is now staple fare. The next campaign is going to be mean and dirty. The Petraeus ad just shows that Americans are polarised and making nice is not going to work for Democrats. Disagree all you want, but it is going to get dirty.
-
Content, not Diversion
[Read the article: Bush gets no surge from Petraeus]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The MoveOn ad is not the problem. Forget about it. It is in the swiftboat mould a diversion, like the stars and medals and other shiny stuff. (Sidebar: not to be snarky: but do generals really need to show up in full dress uniform? It is a distraction). You are right to look at the contents of the reports. I found the charts more prop than useful information. Words like metrics make me groan. I expected a lot from Crocker and what he presented was dull and confusing. His hesitations and ambivalence very disappointing:no clarity, no direction, no resolution. Oh, another interesting tidbit: it seems Petraeus and the army brass flew in their own aircraft and settled into a suite at the Pentagon to fonalise the report. Meanwhile the Ambassador flew by commercial jet with an upgraded business class ticket as a frequent flier. Doesn't that say something about the dichotomy between DoD and State and how that might be playing out in Iraq. Why couldn't Crocker travel on the same plane?