Eine Kleine Wankmusik

Well, all things considered, Joe Klein's online WaPo chat wasn't nearly as awful as I expected. Fact is, I actually agree with his basic premise that politicians' increased reliance on amoral focus-group hacks has turned Americans off of politics. I just don't agree that this is primarily a Democratic problem and that the Republicans are the party of authenticity. Their consultants have simply done a far better job of crafting an aura of authenticity, even to the extent of transforming a drunken silver-spoon Connecticut preppie cheerleader/draft-dodger into a straight-talkin', brush-clearin', rootin'-tootin' Texas cowboy.

There were, however, some... interesting moments. This is simply spectacular:

I never said that the left hates America. I said the Left sometimes indulges in "hate America" rhetoric, especially when it comes to foreign policy. I've said that some on the left have the knee-jerk assumption that America is always wrong when it uses force--and that others on the left seem to assume that America is a malignant force in the world. I respect your patriotism and your right to criticize the government--I do it myself just about every week in my column. But I have no time for those who assume our country is somehow evil.

Shorter Joe Klein: "I never said the left hates America... but they do."

And then there's this:

I do believe George w., Bush is a politician who doesn't always follow the polls. He's been willing to go up against the base of his party on immigration, against popular opinion on social security reform...and if he were a creature of the polls, he'd be skedaddling out of Iraq right now. I disagree with most of his policies, but he does have the courage of his convictions.

This is complete bullshit. Bush has never done anything that he did not think would A) Shore up his base, B) Hoodwink everyone else into thinking he's an indispensable tough guy, or C) Reward his wealthy and corporate sugar daddies. He isn't staying the course in Iraq because of the courage of his alleged convictions; he's staying the course because he is pathologically incapable of admitting error. It's not even perversely admirable - it's just perverse.