ZenPundit
Friday, August 05, 2005
 
PARTISAN IDIOCY, TAKE TWO

The New York Times, the nation's self-proclaimed " newspaper of record" that often omits more from news stories than they record, now is apparently investigating four year old children(!) in hopes of destroying the reputation of a Republican nominee. Hat tip to Don Surber.

That this kind of maniacally partisan witch hunting is disgusting is obvious to all but the demented but I wonder what kind of story the Times would hope to run....

" NYT EXCLUSIVE !!

ROBERTS ADOPTION SCANDAL ! DEMOCRATS DEMAND HEARINGS ON
" PRESCHOOLER-GATE"

Washington, D.C. - Judge John Roberts, President Bush's nominee to the seat on the Supreme Court being vacated by retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Conner has run into a serious confirmation roadblock as vague and groundless concerns have been raised regarding the adoption of the Roberts children, Josie age 5 and Jack age 4. Democratic members of the Judiciary committee posed solemnly for reporters on the steps of the Capitol building and waved tiny American flags as they demanded hearings to interrogate not only Judge Roberts, but his wife and the preschool age children themselves as well.

" Americans deserve a straight answer " huffed ranking Democrat Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) " we are extremely disturbed by these unspecified charges regarding the Roberts adoption and we intend to keep repeating them irresponsibly until all the camera crews pack up and go home". Senator Leahy indicated that Democrats would seek to question the children but would show, in his words " extreme sensitivity " to their age while exploiting them on national television for squalid political gain. " This won't be Jerry Springer " promised Leahy " We're shooting more for a Montel Williams or Maury Povich feel ". Other Senate Democrats nodded in agreement during Leahy's remarks except for Senator Kennedy(D-Mass.) who appeared disoriented as he drank from a bottle concealed in a paper bag and fondled the breast of a young female Senate intern at his side.

Predictably, Washington interest groups weighed in on this new break in the Roberts Confirmation hearings story. Ralph Neas of People for the American Way was quick to point to the blossoming adoption scandal to question Judge Roberts commitment to Civil Rights and diversity issues. " Frankly, these kids are too goddamn white " Neas explained " I mean, the Judge goes to a continent filled with black and brown skinned children and he comes back with two toddlers who have blond hair. This caters to a certain stereotype here in America and I think an appearance of " familial racism" is not too strong a charge. Come on people, the kids don't even speak good Spanish ! ".

While not addressing the comments of Neas, David Seldin of NARAL charged that by adopting Josie and Jack " Judge Roberts and his wife have denied women access to safe and legal abortion" and claimed that Roberts was not trying to provide a loving home but was engaging in a politically motivated, anti-woman " Intimidation by adoption". Professor Cass Sunstein, a noted legal extremist, pretended to objectivity momentarily as he told this reporter that the adoption scandal " raised the specter of impeachment....not just for Judge Roberts but for President Bush. Serious though undefinable Constitutional provisions have been breached" Sunstein intoned ominously" and if not, what the fuck, let's just run that Gore campaign commercial again about a Black man being dragged behind a car in Texas".

The New York Times itself has been criticized for its investigation of the Roberts children but was staunchly defended by the managing editor who said " investigating the four year old children of Republican nominees is de rigeur for the Times" amidst gales of laughter from Times employees. The publisher of the Times, Arthur " Pinch" Sulzberger, jr. refused comment, citing longstanding family policy of confining egomaniacal meddling and unethical behavior safely behind the scenes and letting the hired help take the rap "

Something like that.
 
Comments:
Jim,

Two completely different issues here which you'd see easily enough if you put your " rational" mind to work instead of presuming that " rationality" equates with supporting all of Bush's opponents all of the time.

Santorum's position represents paternalism and authoritarianism. IMHO he's a negative force in the GOP and he's becoming stridently anti-freedom in terms of political philosophy. The argument with him is a long term project in the marketplace of ideas to diminish his influence.The issue with Santorum is substantive - his political ideas are hostile to individual freedom.

The NYT behavior by contrast, is a specific case of using unethical tactics against that should be out of bounds for everyone for a host of reasons that should be self-evident. The issue is methodological not substantive.

Momentary ridicule and contempt is an appropriate response to the Times, not a long-term campaign or a rebuttal. The Times opposes Roberts, that is clear, but their actions are those of a party afraid to challenge a person on the merits by putting forth an argument.
 
The NYT, while the old gray lady has seen better days, is hardly " powerless".

The NYT speaks in part for (and to) the Democratic Party and in part for the bipartisan foreign policy elite - what a few decades ago used to be called " the Establishment". They retain substantial influence even when excluded from top tier policy jobs in the administration.

Most major urban dailies and the network news still look to the NYT for cues on editorial position and what stories should dominate the news cycle.

The " anything goes" standard in opposing presidential nominees, which the NYT is endorsing here, has a corrosive effect on public life. It ratchets up the partisanship level, spawns imitation and a thirts for revenge on future nominees and discourages people from entering public life.

Putting your family through a meat grinder shouldn't be the expected and expected facet of participation in politics.
 
second " expected" should be " accepted"
 
No, the situation is hardly the fault of a single party and the GOP made substantial contributions to lowering the standards of political conflict during the Clinton administration.

However the dynamic here is one of a ratchet - once the turn downward is made in terms of ethics it becomes the new standard for both sides. A systemic degradation regardless of policy or personality content takes place.

It makes some sense to try to stop negative innovations before they pick up steam and become commonplace. Some progress is even possible - nonpartisan fact-checking groups have forced campaign consultants to start sourcing their charges which has cut down on the amount of outrageous lying in campaign commercials.
 
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