Letters to the Editor
Alan Bennett
Published Letters: 254 Editor's Choice: 8
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Ad Wars and One Note Pat
[Read the article: Petraeus' Pentagon skeptics]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I shake my head in wonderment about all the hyperventilating about the ad. We have seen worse: Chambliss against Cleland, the swiftboating etc etc. Come on Democrats: what gives you the idea that being prissy is going to help next year. You think the Republicans are going to hold back. It is one thing to appreciate our military. But there is no need for a pedestal.
Joan: you did well against one note Pat. I don't know why MSNBC has this man on. He opposed the war,but spouts a lot of pro-Bush nonsense while he chops away. He looks more and more like a standup comic.
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Unsettling Indeed
[Read the article: The unsettling deaths of Omar Mora and Yance Gray]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]First, I am struck by the way NYT handled this and by the class act of the NINE. They did not want any money! That tells me a whole lot about the men. To say that I am sad and depressed is not saying much. I can only offer my condolences and prayers to the two families.
Second, a strange silence this week also struck me: no word from Secretary Gates, Admiral Fallon and the War Czar. Where are they? In an undisclosed location? I hope that having said nothing about the Petraeus-Crocker Show they will at least have the decency to issue a statement about the 2 fallen angels of the NYT op-ed.
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Apologies for my mistake
[Read the article: The unsettling deaths of Omar Mora and Yance Gray]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I meant SEVEN, not NINE.
Sorry
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Still at It
[Read the article: Limitless wrongness]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Interviewing Clinton on CNN John Roberts tried to get Clinton to condemn the MoveOn ad. These idiots don't give up. The common sense of the people always trumps the shallow comments of the media types. The current game is: what is Bush'approval rate? This is a set up for announcing that Congress has a lower rate. Conveniently forgetten is that the media is rated even lower than Congress! Nothing so shallow as a self-righteous p***k
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Criticising the Military
[Read the article: The art of neoconservative innuendo]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am glad that commenters have put the Anonymous point about treatment of our generals in context. On the right we have a grand coalition of chicken hawks who know that since they have no wish to sacrifice their lives on the line for their principles then the next best thing is to hold up on a pedestal those who do. It makes them feel good. But when one of those soldiers turns on them they have no problem reacting with the usual dose of venom. This is one collective that needs to hide its cowardice with fine words.
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Trading Places
[Read the article: Former Clinton officials lobby for amnesty for FISA lawbreaking]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]A feature of the musical chairs in Washington is that every major law form cum lobbyist has a stable of Republicans and Democrats so that a change of government merely bring one team to the front office while the losing sides members go into the backroom. It is still a stable and the manure is still pungent. That is Washington. For these people money talks (principles are locked away for use when it is politically prudent to be indignant and to take umbrage). Look at the Carville/Matalin set up: that is replicated, not through marriages but strategic alliances. Think Tom Daschle - Senate leader and lobbyist wife. On the Republican side we have Blount Sr and Blount Jnr. - altho'the lat'ter is now a governor.Still a Father and Son show. Delay trumped them all: Husband, Wife and Daughter Inc.
And our State Department Reports issues annual report pointing to corruption elsewhere.
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Trading Places
[Read the article: Former Clinton officials lobby for amnesty for FISA lawbreaking]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]A feature of the musical chairs in Washington is that every major law form cum lobbyist has a stable of Republicans and Democrats so that a change of government merely bring one team to the front office while the losing sides members go into the backroom. It is still a stable and the manure is still pungent. That is Washington. For these people money talks (principles are locked away for use when it is politically prudent to be indignant and to take umbrage). Look at the Carville/Matalin set up: that is replicated, not through marriages but strategic alliances. Think Tom Daschle - Senate leader and lobbyist wife. On the Republican side we have Blount Sr and Blount Jnr. - altho'the latter is now a governor.Still a Father and Son show. Delay trumped them all: Husband, Wife and Daughter Inc.
And our State Department issues annual reports pointing to corruption elsewhere.
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Brooks and Broder Light
[Read the article: David Brooks and the deceitful tactics of the Beltway pundit]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am sure us lefty bloggers can cope with the wishes of the high school educated women, the newly discovered voting bloc out in the heartland. Us lefty boggers and our soul mates the DFH are realistic enough that we will end up supporting a candidate that wins the Democratic primary. Us lefty boggers can deal with the realities of political power, of interest groups and assorted seekers of influence and personal advancement. If Brooks and the Weakly Substandard think that Hillary will bomb Iran they are delusional.
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Who is going to take on Clinton.
[Read the article: The week so far]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Joan, I must say that I am disappointed. First thing this morning Joe Scar had Joe Klein visit and they were energised trying to figure how Clinton could be attacked by Edwards and Obama. I read Slate and, surprise surprise, John Dickerson was doing a checklist on how to attack Clinton. Then you come up with an attack meme. Have you all taken leave of your senses. You think Edwards and Obama are going to score points by attacking Clinton. Is this your idea of the new politics. No questions on policies and programs, just attacks.
You are now a very good candidate for the conventional wisdom crowd. Maybe you are more interested in getting on MSNBC than in dealing with campaign issues in less that soundbyte mode.