Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Right. So that's how it works. One small incident involving LSD and a Bible study group, and I don't ever get to be president of the United States. But Rudy Giuliani can do something like this, and he still gets to run. It's just not fair.

Speaking of people whose actions preclude them from ever being president, J-Hole and D-Wayne sure did look purdy in those dresses last night at FUBAR. Moral of the evening was: don't ever bet on professional sports. Or, if you have to bet, gamble away all your cash instead of taking these 'loser wears a dress' bets. In the same vein, Lance will be having his head shaved sometime this week, but I don't think anyone will notice the difference.


From Radaronline, a short interview with PJ O'Rourke. I like this interview because in it is asked what I think is an important question: What in the hell happened to U.S. conservative pundits? They used to have smart guys like Buckley and Will- good writers, and men of principle* who generally knew what they were talking about. And today? Anne Coulter and Bill O'Reilly. Michelle Malkin. Venomous goofballs the lot of them, unable to write or evidently think coherently**.


Lastly, this was in the FARK comments thread about yesterday's Superbowl-

So... what happened to that vaunted Bears front seven?
Oh yeah. They faced an AFC team, and not Little Sisters of the Syphilitic.

All together now: Heh.

* Not that I necessarily agreed with their principles, but credit where credit is due and all that.
**Eugene Volokh is a notable exception, but I don't know where else he writes besides his blog.

11 comments:

Red A said...

George Will is still writing.

Perhaps the video has killed the radio star, a.k.a. the internet has killed the newspaper star.

Suggested 'serious' conservative columnists:

Mark Steyn
Victor David Hanson

If I think of some more, I will let you know.

Red A said...

Anne Coulter and Bill O'Reilly. Michelle Malkin.

---Here is another possibility...that you are reading more about the goofballs because they are being highlighted as goofballs by the left-leaning blogs you might be reading...sort of like how if I only read certain blogs I would think A.N.S.W.E.R. and Code Pink are who make up the Democrats...the characitures are more fun to attack than any "thinkers"

--Third possibility...Will and Buckley were maybe in their prime when the Dems run the House and thus as critics they are more successful.

Red A said...

My writing stinks. I hope you can get the gist of what the hell I actually meant from that.

Robin said...

Eugene Volokh is not a conservative. He's more libertarian.

Chaon said...

Victor Davis Hanson? You hear that screaming? That's the sound of your credibility being burned at the stake.

And the only lefty blogs I read are the ones over there on the right. I think O'Rourke's take on it is better.

Robin- Does Volokh describe himself as a libertarian?

Red A said...

Uhhh, you may not agree with VDH, but he is far more "serious" than Michelle Malkin.

Or am I missing something? I don't read a whole lot of VDH - is he one of the insane ones now?

p.s. I heard Pelosi's kid discuss her experience with evangelicals and she seemed to be very positive towards them...

Red A said...

--Third possibility...Will and Buckley were maybe in their prime when the Dems run the House and thus as critics they are more successful.

This is what PJ said...and need to read the links you post before commenting I think.

Keep in mind that back in those halycon days Buchanan was a pundit and therefore the right was not bereft of loudmouths.

Michael Turton said...

Interesting question....I think in general conservatism has retreated massively from public life. The lack of good conservative pundits just reflects that.

Michael

Robin said...

Karl, I believe that Eugene does describe himself as libertarian with a lower case 'l'.

He's pro-gay marriage, pro-choice, pro Second amendment rights, strongly pro First amendment, etc. I think its a pretty accurate summation of his ideology to state he is more libertarian than conservative.

You can read his academic papers on his website off the UCLA law school faculty website. I think there is a link off the blog to it.

Robin said...

Michael,
I'd strongly disagree. The general tone of political discourse, especially but not exclusively in the United States, has been toward stridency in punditry. There are few "good" liberal or conservative pundits these days.

But conservatism has not retreated from public life, at least not in the United States, more so in perhaps the United Kingdom and EU.

Chaon said...

"There are few "good" liberal or conservative pundits these days."

Hmm. True. In ignoring all of the lefty pundits, I'm missing the fact that the popular ones pretty much suck too.