Comments on: The sages at TNR chime in: again with the “Newt served his wife with divorce papers when she was in the hospital with cancer” yada-yada-yada

By: Occam's Beard

Occam's Beard — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:54:08 +0000

Semi-OT: just finished Reckless Endangerment. Anyone reading that and still voting Democrat should be shot.

By: foxmarks

foxmarks — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 19:58:12 +0000

Human nature and our non-deliberative culture conspire against learning the truth. The common folk–and even professional political analysts–rarely take the time to look deeper than the echoes of events.

If journalism was more reporting and less storytelling, Joe Sixpack would hear that Newt did not serve his wife on her deathbed. Joe Sixpack would know that Bush 43 was a voracious reader of substantial books. Joe would know that Sarah Palin never said she could see Russia from her house. He would know that Herman Cain very likely plotted trajectories for our missiles to hit Chinese nukes in the late 1960s.

We comfortably accept the superficial criticisms of those we are inclined against already. Confirmation bias is an enemy of integrity.

By: Occam's Beard

Occam's Beard — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:59:20 +0000

Agreed. In fact, their coming out with this now may imply that they think Newt is done, and so there’s no harm in lifting the leftist curse on him.

By: Gary Rosen

Gary Rosen — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 17:59:54 +0000

“WaPo, for God’s sake, correcting cherished leftist propaganda!”

After the smear has been out there over a decade? I’m not impressed. It reminds me of 2008, when three days *after* the election they ran a piece from their “ombudsman” saying, “you know, it looks like our election coverage was completely slanted towards Obama”.

By: Occam's Beard

Occam's Beard — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 17:47:34 +0000

Late entry. Insty links to a piece in WaPo debunking the Newt divorce meme. WaPo, for God's sake, correcting cherished leftist propaganda! Judgment Day must be nigh.

By: Alex Bensky

Alex Bensky — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:58:01 +0000

I had subscribed to The New Republic for decades; only The Sporting News had held me longer. Thanks, Neo, for reminding me why I let my TNR subscription lapse a couple of years ago.

I let The Sporting News go a long time past, but for different reasons.

By: Promethea

Promethea — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:48:18 +0000

Ever since I read Ann Coulter’s “Demonic,” I’ve been totally inoculated against political/personal smears against candidates.

Because I live in the Banana Republic of Chicago, my primary vote won’t count for much. However, I’ll do what I can to bring down the commie/fascist/ transnational progressives/elitists who want to destroy our City on a Hill American republic.

End of story.

By: J.J. formerly Jimmy J.

J.J. formerly Jimmy J. — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:49:21 +0000

Curtis said, “We’re mad, we’re whipping mad. Tired of being defamed and tired, above all, of losing.”

I agree. We would like to see a candidate that is as outraged about what has been happening under Obama as we are. Ron Paul gives voice to some of that and I think that’s why so many people support him. Occasionally we see it when Newt slaps a debate moderator around. We don’t see it in Romney and that is, IMO, much of the turn off. The question is, can an angry conservative get votes in the middle? It is perplexing.

By: Oldflyer

Oldflyer — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:45:05 +0000

I posted somewhere, and I forget whether it was here, that I was deeply involved with company that was heavily funded by Bain. When Bain finally pulled out, we thought they were the villains. Later I realized that Bain behaved rationally, and no doubt as required by their fiduciary responsibility when dealing with a failing company. Bain had investors to whom that their management was responsible. People dig deep for dirt.

The story about Bain is similar to the stories about Newt’s divorce(s). Once a distorted story, or outright lie, is planted it becomes a many headed monster that is nearly impossible to counter.

BTW, one of my brothers-in-law is on his third marriage. My sister is on her 4th. (Not married to each other) They have one trait in common, poor judgment in the choice of mates. That simple. Other than that they are both very good people.
No one, certainly no one at a distance, ever knows what goes on inside of a marriage. Absent abuse, I think it is ridiculous to characterize a person because of their marital history.

By: Curtis

Curtis — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:09:01 +0000

A notable article by Medved articulating the reason why Romney is so hated, seemingly, so suddenly.

http://townhall.com/columnists/michaelmedved/2011/11/16/the_wrong_guy_for_the_age_of_anger/page/2

Makes sense, but I went at it from the other side. Why is it that we are liking whom we are liking?

I like them who are vicariously fulfilling my anger. I think it’s time to at least acknowledge that. We’re mad, we’re whipping mad. Tired of being defamed and tired, above all, of losing.