Besides making their own outlandish contributions to the work product of the right-wing blogosphere, the Powerline philosophers link promiscuously to the effusions of their fellow travellers. I consequently found myself reading the other day this nutty column by Charles Krauthammer. Now, as if to goad me to comment, my hometown daily gave it prominent display today on its editorial page. Okay, here goes.
To be fair to Krauthammer, he doesn't say anything crazy until the third paragraph, wherein he attributes the demise of the Soviet Union to the policies of President Reagan. Just because a million people have pointed out that this is like giving the rooster credit for the rising sun doesn't prove Krauthammer is wrong. But there is wisdom in crowds. For forty years we hear from Krauthammer & Co. about the depravity of the Soviet system and then, when it finally collapses beneath the considerable burden of its own accrued dead weight, it is somehow on account of something Reagan did? No, it's on account of something the Soviets did. If you must give credit to one American, try George Kennan.
As Krauthammer proceeds one forms the impression that he is surprised to detect evidence of an ego in someone running for president. "There's nothing new about narcissism in politics," he allows, attempting to achieve an inoculation before posing this stumper (he is referring to Barack Obama): "has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?"
Well. Now. Let. Me. Think.
Have you come up with ANY possibilities yet? I saw a onesie on a 6 month old child today that made me think of a likely candidate. Something about the alphabet, I think.
Posted by: BRJA | July 22, 2008 at 08:35 PM