Jon Chait observes:
A separate issue is why Obama didn’t pick some conservatives with a bit more intellectual integrity than, say, [Bill] Kristol and [Charles] Krauthammer. The problem, of course, is conservatives like that tend not to rise to positions of high influence.
That inspired me to check if Krauthammer is still listed as a contributing editor on the New Republic masthead and it seems he is. He hasn’t actually contributed much of anything to TNR—I believe it’s been years since he’s written for them—but I assumed he stayed on the list as part of TNR’s pride at having played a role in launching his career.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
oh, Snap!
January 14th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I’ve always wanted to hear a conversation between Obama and Shelby Steele, for obvious reasons.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
One thing that’s becoming obvious is that Obama is extremely concerned with having Jewish intellectuals and organized Jewish interests not be hostile to him.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
So. . . who are the conservatives that have intellectual integrity these days?
Christopher Buckley comes to mind. And. . . uh. . .
January 14th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
One thing that’s becoming obvious is that Obama is extremely concerned with having Jewish intellectuals and organized Jewish interests not be hostile to him.
Well, it’s obviously obvious to you (and your ilk). Go figure.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Am I the only person who thinks using “conservatives” and “intellectual integrity” in the same sentence is more than a tad oxymoronic?
January 14th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Krauthammer has had a successful career, if you were looking to work for a political magazine, the fact that it has produced writers with a successful career would be important to you. Also the fact that TNR has launched good careers is testimony of its influence which I assume is the only reason you pay any attention to it. Then again TNR produced Ackerman and for some reason he isn’t on the masthead, which is just insane.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Why do you persist in calling these people “Conservatives”? They’re Fascists.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Since Ackerman got fired after an ugly showdown with Foer, and has pretty much been calling the TNR stuff total scum ever since, I’m not that surprised he’s not on the masthead.
January 14th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Because he’s not trying to get ideas from these mental midgets; he’s trying to butter up the conservative media establishment, to reduce the political resistance to his agenda.
January 14th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
good one Joe from Lowell
January 14th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
One thing that’s becoming obvious is that Steve Sailer is extremely concerned with black men and their penis size, something that both terrifies and arouses him.
January 14th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Hey Ehrenstein – that’s “Magic Fascists!” to you.
Now go back to helping Limbaugh pen his next hit record and other acts of supreme irrelevance.
January 14th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Steve Sailer: “I’ve always wanted to hear a conversation between Obama and Shelby Steele, for obvious reasons.”
OBAMA: I am absolutely committed to ending the Bush interrogation regime, but I think most people don’t understand how hard it will be to, for example, close Guantonomo. I’ve directed my staff to draw up–
STEELE: Black people! Black people!
OBAMA: What?
STEELE: A Bound Man! Bargainer! Magic Negro!
OBAMA: Look, I don’t know what that–
STEELE: Why do you hate your white mother?
OBAMA: Okay, we’re done here. (The Secret Service drags out Steele as he screams incoherently about black racism).
yeah, what an awesome conversation, ain’t it?
January 14th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Steve Sailer: “I’ve always wanted to hear a conversation between Obama and
ShelbyDanielle Steele, for obvious reasons.”January 14th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
>why Obama didn’t pick some conservatives with a bit more intellectual integrity…?
Because Joe the Plumber is away as a war correspondent.
January 14th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
brucds
Go read Ehrenstein’s original op-ed in the LA Times, if you are literate. You will see that it’s whole point is that President Obama is not the “Magic Negro” whose coming absolves us of all acts of discrimination and prejudice which came before. Limbaugh on the other hand, thinks, or is willing to pretend, that Obama really is the “Magic Negro.”
January 14th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
In lukewarm defense of these two men, it’s quite possible we’re putting the cart before the horse here. Conservatives who rise high in the ranks of the media cannot exercise any intellectual integrity because conservative ideas articulated honestly outside of conservative circles tend to produce revulsion in the reader.
Thus the conservatives who become successful are the conservatives who are the best at obscuring, rather than explaining, their own agenda.
APS
January 14th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I’ve always wanted to hear a conversation between Obama and Shelby Foote, for obvious reasons.
January 14th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I’d like to hear a conversation between Steve Sailer and Putney Swope. For obvious reasons!
January 14th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I read Ehrenstein’s little essay and it was nonsense, as are most of Ehrenstein’s efforts. It was a hit piece on Obama, no more – no less. And, of course, I know that Limbaugh was giving it a spin. But arrogant, self-absorbed lefties like Ehrenstein of LaLaLand consistently help feed the delusions of the right.
January 14th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
” it’s whole point is that President Obama is not the “Magic Negro” whose coming absolves us of all acts of discrimination and prejudice which came before”
To be more precise, where in the hell did this screwy notion of Obama’s “mission” come from, other than Ehrenstein’s fevered brain. ?
Oh, yeah. Shelby Steele. The near-perfect between these two quacks of the “left” and “right” in erecting their straw men to diss Obama is remarkable.
January 14th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Oops – That should have read “near perfect symmetry between these two…”
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