LOSING THE CRITICAL EYE: A couple of weeks ago, William Saletan wrote a great column in Slate criticizing those who write as if lying is confined to the other party:
I'm not excusing the games Republicans play. But by projecting all evil onto Republicans, Democrats spread the same political disease: the notion that you don't have to be wary of lying or cheating unless the other side is doing it. Lying and cheating don't belong to Republicans or Democrats. We're all susceptible, and we're all guilty. Sure, some people are more guilty than others. But if that's your obsession, I commend to you the words of my colleague, Jack Shafer: If you're interested in which wing lies more, you're probably not very interested in the truth.
Rush Limbaugh and Bob Somerby of the Daily Howler both reacted to Mr. Saletan's article, prompting him to follow up:
That's the problem with a punditocracy of Limbaughs and Somberbys. Each side exposes the other's distortions. But you can't count on them to see, much less concede, their own. Somerby has done a terrific job of exposing the right's myths about Gore. But when it comes to the gamesmanship of Gore and Bill Clinton, he loses his critical eye.
. . .
If you want to see the tricks of the right exposed, read Somerby. If you want to hear the tricks of the left exposed, listen to Limbaugh. But if you don't want to get trapped inside either wing's echo chamber, read Slate.
Lying in Ponds could not agree more -- that's the problem with a punditocracy of Coulters and Krugmans.
| Author/ Affiliation |
Title/ Date |
words | PI | Partisan References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Scheer Creators Syndicate |
It's who you know 30 September 2003 |
925 | 93 | 6D+: Gray Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis 20R-: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican, Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger, Republican, Schwarzenegger, Arnold, Bush White House, administration, Bush, Schwarzenegger, Pete Wilson, Wilson, Wilson, Schwarzenegger, Wilson, Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger, GOP, Schwarzenegger 1D=, 1R= |
| Paul Krugman New York Times |
Who's Sordid Now 30 September 2003 |
842 | 89 | 4D+: Harry Truman, Truman, Truman, Truman 12R-: administration, George W. Bush, administration, White House, administration, White House, Dick Cheney, Republican, administration, Bush, Cheney, administration 2D= |
| Richard Cohen Washington Post |
Where's Schwarzenegger's Self-Respect? 30 September 2003 |
903 | 86 | 12R-: Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger, Arnold, Schwarzenegger, Arnold, President Bush, Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger 2R= |
| David Brooks New York Times |
The Presidency Wars 30 September 2003 |
911 | 50 | 4D+: Clinton, Clinton, Clinton, Democrat 5D-: Ted Kennedy, Teddy Kennedy, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, Clark 9R+: the president, Bush, President George W. Bush, the president, the president, Republicans, the president, Bush, White House 1D=, 1R= |
| Molly Ivins Creators Syndicate |
These horses look ready to run 30 September 2003 |
1187 | 45 | 15D+: Democrats, Gephardt, John Edwards, Dean, Kerry, Clark, Dean, Dean, Dean, Gore, Gore, Gore, Gore, Clark, Clark 1D-: Joe Lieberman 3R+: John McCain, McCain, Rudy Giuliani 9R-: John Ashcroft, George W. , Newt Gingrich, Gingrich, W, Bush, Bush, Karl Rove, Bush 14D=, 2R= |
| Thomas Oliphant Boston Globe |
Past haunts Dean on Medicare issue 30 September 2003 |
1095 | 8 | 11D+: Gephardt, Gephardt, John Kerry, Gephardt, Dennis Kucinich, Gephardt, Clinton, Clinton, Clinton, Gephardt, Kerry 18D-: Dean, Howard Dean, Dean, Democratic, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean 11R-: Pete Domenici, John Kasich, Republican, GOP, Bill Archer, Bill Thomas, Newt Gingrich, Gingrich, Republicans, Republicans, Republicans 8D= |
| David Ignatius Inactive |
Adjusting to Reality in Iraq 30 September 2003 |
864 | 0 | 1D=, 2R= |
| Mona Charen Creators Syndicate |
Free speech confusion 30 September 2003 |
733 | 0 | 1D-: Feingold 1R-: McCain |
| John Fund Inactive |
The Voter Integrity Project 30 September 2003 |
1582 | 0 | 12D=, 12R= |
| E. J. Dionne Jr. Washington Post |
Gone With Globalization 30 September 2003 |
842 | 0 | |
| Thomas Sowell Creators Syndicate |
Random thoughts 30 September 2003 |
743 | 0 | 1D+: Daniel Patrick Moynihan 1D-: Cruz Bustamante |