Jane Galt Shock: Politicians Are Sometimes Less Than Candid

Don't click on this link unless you're prepared for some unpleasant truths (and, along the way, some pleasant Michael Moore bashing). It's a useful little reality check about partisanship and political dishonesty.

Oliver Willis, meanwhile, demonstrates why he's been hailed by Instapundit as an important political commentator and all-around super-comedian by parodying her remarks thusly:

"Argh! Michael Moore makes me angry, because he produced one succesful documentary and now the left should shut up because its the same as years and years of Fox News, talk radio, vanity publishing houses, propaganda websites, several newspapers, and multibillion dollar thinktanks !!! Aiiiiieeeeee!"

I always enjoy the triple-exclamation-point. And of course the "Aiiiiiieeeee!" is always a sign of thoughtful analysis.

Classic.

Sometimes I cry myself to sleep as I realize that I'll never be able to elevate my own commentary and comedy to that high level. I'm just too darn partisan and juvenile.

Related Point: Daniel Drezner frets about a loss of civility in the blog world.

He takes a dig at "bomb-throwers." I wish I could take offense at that, but, sadly, I'm afraid he probably hasn't heard of me. Damnit-- here I was hoping to be insulted.

But check the comments. Scan down for Michael Ledeen (yes, that Michael Ledeen) making a very interesting point. It isn't that blogs have become less civil, but that mainstream media debate has become less civil; he offers Paul Krugman's latest slander of his daughter as evidence of this.

Those whining about a little invective in blogs really should first see about reigning in the Paul Krugmans and Robert Scheers. If they can't be reigned in -- and of course they cannot be -- it seems a little bit strange to be bemoaning the lack of civility in amateur blogs.

Yes, yes-- someone will respond "But blogs should be better than that; blogs are supposed to correct the failings of the mainstream media, not indulge in those failings themselves." Well, maybe. It depends upon whether you define blogs as moral exemplars and paragons of civility or else just junior-level media operations designed to be a counter to the mainstream media. And it depends upon whether a counter-media should seek to correct the procedural failings of the media (civility, fact-checking, etc.) or the substantive biases of the media (the general, stultifying bias towards the left).

I'm in favor of whatever definition it is that allows me to call Michael Moore "fugly and fobese." If I can't call him that, then the terrorists will have won.

posted by Ace at 10:48 AM

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