Monday, April 13, 2009

Re: Congratulating Obama   [Jonah Goldberg]

Most of the email in response to my earlier post has been positive. Then there are a few like this:

Dear Jonah,

Below is the DNC/MSM/Hollywood/Academia 8 year, massive, coordinated, and unrelenting war room strategy against Pres Bush and the Republicans:

Create doubt. Question his judgment. Support his opponents. Ridicule his errors. Mitigate his successes with suggestion of unintended consequences. Refuse to praise his work. Challenge his advocates when they advocate; don't let them own the conversation.

AND IT WORKED BEAUTIFULLY.

And why are we "snarky" when expecting the same from "our side"?

Why aren't you saying that Obama has created more pirates now? Americans obviously believe the snark from the left, why not the right?

Does rightwing media not know how to do propaganda?

You all should learn, quick.

My simple answer is that I don't do propaganda, I don't want to do propaganda, and I don't know why anyone in my line of work would want to do propaganda. I understand the temptation to fight fire with fire. And I certainly understand why a political party might, and sometimes even need, to go down this road. But it ain't for me. I'm not condemning hardball in political debate or drawing sharp contrasts when neccessary, nor am I advocating Broderism of any kind, but I do have a problem with this sort of argument (as I've explained more than once around here).

When lefty bloggers insisted they had to be as tough and ruthless as the Republicans, it always struck me as absurd on two levels. First, neither the GOP nor conservatives in general were near as villainous as they imagined or claimed. And, second, if you condemn the evil tactics of the "other side" you cannot then take them up yourself without inuring your integrity, credibility, or soul.

Likewise, if I condemn the anti-Bush excesses of the last eight years, why would I want to ape them for the next four or eight years? The short answer is, I wouldn't.

What Barack Obama and the Democrats want to do is bad enough as it is, I don't see any need to embellish it.

Lastly, I am strongly pro-tax cuts, pro-free market, pro-federalism, anti-judicial activism, pro-school choice, pro-gun rights, and pro-shooting pirates who take Americans hostage or harrass our ships. When Obama's policy choices overlap with mine, I will congratulate him for it as much as I think warranted.

Update: Apparrently Rush Limbaugh is attacking me now. Or so say listeners via email.

04/13 11:49 AMShare