If you can possibly stomach any more of this interminable story, go check out Patterico’s op-ed in the LA Times.
Frank Rich heads in the other direction.
Hunh?
Someone break this down for me:
Meanwhile, as usual, Limbaugh’s been busy quoting other people out of context. He listed me by name alongside other so-called traitors who are rooting for the defeat of American troops in Iraq, because I said Sheehan’s success gave war opponents “reason to be optimistic about the administration’s unraveling in Iraq.” From that he concluded I was “rooting for the administration’s unraveling in Iraq … that’s exactly what they’re doing! They are actively urging our defeat!” (Thanks to Media Matters for the transcript.)
Let me break it down for Limbaugh, and for his allies like Washington Times columnist Frank Gaffney, whom I debated Tuesday night on the “News Hour With Jim Lehrer” (you can watch it here): I’m not rooting for the defeat of our troops. When I hail the administration’s “unraveling,” as the piece made clear, I’m referring to the unraveling of public support for the war, which is tied to the unraveling of the administration’s ever-shifting stories about why we went to war — some call them lies — and now, the unraveling of its claims about what we’re fighting for. No longer are we promised a democratic Iraq — my piece linked to a Washington Post article in which unnamed administration officials confessed that the best we can expect in Iraq is some sort of Islamic republic. That’s quite an unraveling.
The way I read that, it says ‘I’m not rooting for a loss in Iraq, I am just giddy about the prospect of domestic political gain that comes with a loss in Iraq.’
Am I misreading that?
Gorelick Wall Flap
Last week, when the new information regarding Able Danger was released, I incorrectly intimated that this somehow involved Jamie Gorelick’s ‘wall’ decision/enforcement. It does not.
I stand by my other statements regarding Gorelick’s conflict of interest because of her close relationship with the House of Saud.
On a side note, I do find it increasingly pathetic that Thinkprogress is spending all their time demanding that Glenn Reynolds make a retraction for a statement he never made, and to compound that demand with demands he retract statements that remain accurate. Pretty amusing stuff.
Hillbilly Carnival
I forgot to remind you all of the Hillbilly Carnival, which WV blogger Don Surber is hosting again this week.
A Tragic Tale
If you want yet another example why I think it is simply wrong to bring up the divorce issue in the Sheehan case, read this terrible story of what happened to a family who lost a loved one on 9/11.
The loss of a loved one is often a treagedy that just rips families apart.
Boston Legal
I can’t tell you how happy I am that ABC is showing Boston Legal once again. One of the best shows on tv.
Denny: You left me, Shirley. Women don’t leave Denny Crane. And for a secretary?
Shirley: It was the Secretary of Defense.
Genius.
When Patterico Speaks
Patterico states I was over the line condemning Malkin’s post, and he is right. So:
1.) I apologize to you all and Michelle for the tone and tenor, as well as the language.
2.) I want it made clear that I in no way think the racist crap that is heaped upon Malkin is in any way fair, or justified, or deserved. I said I can understand why she gets it, but that in no way excuses the fact that people say those things. Really, some of the stuff that has been said in the comments of that thread sounds like something spewed by Stormfront or other white supremacist groups. Long story short- what I said was unfair to Michelle and stupid.
I still disagree about the relevance of Sheehan’s marital status and record, but there will be a time for that later, and I don’t want this turning into a typical Washington non-apology apology.