or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
•
"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
January 30, 2005
Washington Post's Demagogue-Detection Device Continues To Function Perfectly
Today the Washington Post editorial board got very angry about purported "ill-informed demagoguery" by Terry McAuliffe about Social Security. Meanwhile, it praised Bill Thomas and similar politicians for being "responsible."
The specific issue was... oh, man. I don't even have the energy to explain it. You can read about it for yourself. But from what the Post quotes, McAuliffe wasn't being a demagogue.
In any case, this made me curious. Clearly the Washington Post is constantly on guard for demagoguery in politics, and eager to salute anyone who's responsible. So they must be deeply angry about one of the most shameful episodes of demagoguery in American history: the Bush administration's lies about Iraq and WMD.
And yet, when I searched their archives, I found the Post wrote about Bush being a demagogue or engaging in demagoguery on Iraq a grand total of zero times. Huh. Well, maybe the way they show their anger is by maintaining an icy silence.
To be fair, they did publish a column by Richard Cohen before the invasion of Iraq, slamming one politician for being an "indomitable demagogue" on the subject. That politician was, of course, Dennis Kucinich.
Posted at January 30, 2005 09:47 AM | TrackBackOf course, divide and conquer - the favorite technique of demagogues. So, if I'm a black woman, I need to choose my side. Or beat myself up while trying.
"Power without responsibility is a basic form of illiteracy or ignorance… The world [is] reduced to a detailed linear argument based on a fixed world view."
Unconcious Civilization, p 122.
JOHN RALSTON SAUL! JOHN RALSTON SAUL! YOU CAN NEVER GET TOO MUCH SWEET SWEET JOHN RALSTON SAUL!
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at January 30, 2005 02:07 PMI suppose that hagiolatry is ok, as long as you're not stalking the man.
You're not stalking him, are you, Jonathan?
Posted by: mk at January 30, 2005 07:09 PMUh... well, not unless kidnapping someone and holding them hostage in your basement counts as stalking.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at January 31, 2005 04:24 AMNo, I think it's no longer stalking once you've actually captured the subject. You're off the hook.
Posted by: Ted at January 31, 2005 11:23 AM
