Editore"s Note
Tilting at Windmills

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April 14, 2009

'BAD FORM'.... I vaguely recall a time -- I think the period was known as "2001 through 2008" -- when the right considered it unpatriotic to question and/or criticize the military judgment of the Commander in Chief. It was an argument that many at traditional news outlets bought into. Bush/Cheney critics were told it might literally be "treasonous" to second guess the administration's decision regarding national security, and it led to a strange debate about the propriety of dissent in the U.S.

Some of the former administration's defenders have short memories.

Isn't it a big story that Newt Gingrich and some leading conservative media figures harshly criticized Obama's handling of the pirate standoff -- while it was unfolding?

I just got off the phone with a military expert and former Army Ranger who supports Republicans and Dems, and he hammered Gingrich and conservative media figures for criticizing Obama, saying that the Commander-in-chief deserved "respect" while a sensitive operation was unfolding.

"I would hope that they're feeling a little silly today," said the expert, Andrew Exum, a fellow at the Center for National Security Studies. "It's bad form. You don't make this a partisan issue until an operation has been assessed. It's fair game ex post facto. But during the emergency, I think that our elected leaders deserve our respect."

Exum added, "If Glenn Beck loves his country as much as he alleges, he should hold his tongue when elected leaders on the ground are dealing with a very difficult situation."

The hostage standoff with Somali pirates really seemed to drive quite a few leading conservatives completely around the bend. The desperation to attack the president was so overwhelming, they embraced exactly the kind of tactics conservatives said patriotic Americans should never engage in.

Last night, it reached the point that Bernard Goldberg, a conservative media critic and prominent Obama detractor, told Sean Hannity on the air, "I'm sorry, Sean ... but we have to stop going out of our way to find fault with every single thing [the president] does.... If something bad happened here, and thank God it didn't, but if something bad happened here, I guarantee you, I'll tell you who would have been leading the crusade against [Obama]: you."

For what it's worth, it didn't seem like Hannity "felt a little silly."

Steve Benen 8:35 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (16)
 
Comments

My best has decided when anyone, especially those that were Bush supporters (and including her father), starts to question the president's actions that she is just going to accuse them of being un-American and that she learned that lesson well under the Bush administration.

Posted by: ET on April 14, 2009 at 8:36 AM | PERMALINK

Well, of course we're dealing with anti-Obama groups with short memories. These groups are out of power, and the only thing they cannot stand is to be out of power, so they spend all of their time not trying to build this country, but instead to tear it down and apart. Plus, they're largely insane.

Posted by: terraformer on April 14, 2009 at 8:38 AM | PERMALINK

You know things have gone crazy when Bernard Goldberg, who wrote about the 100 liberals hurting America, is the voice of reason.

Posted by: Unstable Isotope on April 14, 2009 at 8:40 AM | PERMALINK

"... I'll tell you who would have been leading the crusade against [Obama]: you."

Way to go out on a limb, Bernie.

Posted by: Grumpy on April 14, 2009 at 8:41 AM | PERMALINK

Bernard Goldberg: voice of reason?

The other 3 horsemen of the Apocalypse should be along any minute now.

Posted by: slappy magoo on April 14, 2009 at 8:45 AM | PERMALINK

Hannity has no capacity for self-reflection, then again, he shares that personality trait with the rest of Wingnuttery. We should continue to treat them with the derision they deserve.

Posted by: Scott F. on April 14, 2009 at 8:58 AM | PERMALINK

"I'm sorry, Sean ... but we have to stop going out of our way to find fault with every single thing [the president] does.."

But then Sean would be out of a job.

I wonder, how mushified do the dittoheads' brains have to be, not to explode from the cognitive dissonance over on FOX. Could it be quantified?

Posted by: wtf on April 14, 2009 at 8:59 AM | PERMALINK

I vaguely recall a time -- I think the period was known as "2001 through 2008" -- ...

A Great Opening Line.

Posted by: Al Z. Heimer on April 14, 2009 at 9:09 AM | PERMALINK

Steve, you have to remember the first rule of American politics: IOKIYAR.

Scott F. nailed it. The GOPers have absolutely no capacity for self-reflection. This is not a bug; it's a feature.

Posted by: azportsider on April 14, 2009 at 9:38 AM | PERMALINK

Pfor what it's worth, Nancy Pfotenhauer was on Fox just after the rescue of the captain, and though she darkly hinted at tougher, more neoconnish measures that might be needed in the future, she was nothing but complementary about Obama's immediate handling of the incident.

Posted by: kth on April 14, 2009 at 9:56 AM | PERMALINK

What's also gone unnoted is that in Iraq over the last six years there have been many instances in which American civilians were kidnapped (or American soldiers were captured) by rebels and held captive, and yet the right wing never, ever, presented these situations as some sort of "test" of Bush's leadership -- in fact, they almost never even made the news.

Posted by: Stefan on April 14, 2009 at 10:00 AM | PERMALINK

"If Glenn Beck loves his country as much as he alleges, he should hold his tongue when elected leaders on the ground are dealing with a very difficult situation."

That just about says it all. Glen Beck loves nothing but money. Sad...

Posted by: Stevio on April 14, 2009 at 10:00 AM | PERMALINK

I guess Laura Ingraham was on the radio yesterday criticizing Obama for not wearing a jacket and tie during the Easter egg roll. This, she screeched, is very un-presidential. It's sending the wrong message ... to the pirates!

This is looniness beyond measure

Posted by: uncle toby on April 14, 2009 at 10:24 AM | PERMALINK

I think we are back to the Republican position during the Clinton era. Which was exactly the opposite of the Republican position during the years of Bush Major.

Posted by: N.Wells on April 14, 2009 at 10:53 AM | PERMALINK

MSM, bought and paid for by the rethugs. They lie and the MSM repeats it and makes it the truth for the ignorant.

Posted by: SteveA on April 14, 2009 at 1:30 PM | PERMALINK

You were also not allowed to say anything negative about the President when he was on Foreign soil....Don't think that applied either during Pres. Obama's recent travels.

Posted by: Larry G on April 14, 2009 at 1:45 PM | PERMALINK




 

 
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