Comments on: Andrew Sullivan Is Really An Ass, Nothing Has Changed

By: Oliver Willis

Oliver Willis — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 23:43:35 +0000

Sullivan is leaning toward Obama right now, that’s got to count for something.
No, I’m sorry, it doesn’t. If someone is a total and complete asshole contributing to horrible things, they are not absolved because 1/1,000,000 they support a good guy.

By: megamoze

megamoze — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:37:03 +0000

Sullivan is leaning toward Obama right now, that’s got to count for something. I think he’s correct in that the right’s slime machine would be less effective against Obama. They would still attack, obviously, but Obama can deflect those criticisms in a way that Hillary can’t.

By: deiseach

deiseach — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:42:51 +0000

I like Andrew Sullivan. He’s capable of original thought and posts in generally mellow manner, which is nice given the anger-filled rants that seem to be the norm these days.

But “Congress…reined them in” . . . THAT Congress, a force for restraint?! That’s the battiest thing I’ve read in a long time. Newt the moderate!

By: Dr. Victor Davis Handjob

Dr. Victor Davis Handjob — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:07:21 +0000

I don’t really understand why you see it as a “possibility,” though, Chum. I think (and you seem to agree) that it will happen no matter what. The right wing can’t help themselves. They’ve been fully Malkinized at this point. They’re rabid dogs, and there’s nothing we can do to change it. I’m an Obama supporter, but it’s because he’s more liberal and I think has better judgement than Hillary (and because he’s not part of a political dynasty), not because I think the right won’t work to poison the public against him however they can.

By: chum

chum — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:43:56 +0000

I don’t get take the same message away from Sullivan’s two cents than you do. In fact I totally agree with his premise that we don’t need another 2 minutes of a Clinton (or a Bush for that matter) in the White House. The smears will get worse as will the triangulation (strangulation?) of what’s right for Americans.

Sullivan does a bit too much of blaming the Clintons though for making themselves targets of the right wing noise machine as they would do that to any Democrat of prominence (Kerry, Pelosi, Reid, et al). They know the stakes much more than the Left seems to, at least until the last 6 years somewhat woke a sleeping giant.

Imagine this country after 9 more years of deep polarization. I personally join Sullivan in not wanting to face this distinct possibility.

By: Dr. Victor Davis Handjob

Dr. Victor Davis Handjob — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:11:59 +0000

Sullivan’s been wonderful in his attack on the Bush administration’s torture policies.

That, however, does not make up for his working to help legitimize the idea that black people are genetically inferior to white people. The Bell Curve is simply unforgivable. And his “torpedoing” of Clinton’s health reform in the early 90s (No Exit) really hurt Americans as well.