Saturday, October 25, 2003
In the New York Times Magazine, James Traub's insightful examination of Dubyaphobia, Learning to Love to Hate, nicely situates it as a byproduct of the Clinton-hating of the 90s, although one might contend that many of the true Bush-haters were people who were indifferent to Monicagate. Ralph Nader actually said that he would have voted in favor of impeachment were he in the House (does he wonder why he remains marginal?).
Still, Traub takes the argument to a sound conclusion
It's satisfying; but I don't see how it can be a good thing, either for public debate or ultimately for the electoral prospects of the Democrats, to have liberals descend to the level of rabid conservatives. Maybe Al Franken has the right idea, since ''Liars'' is not so much an actual diatribe as a sly parody of conservative extremism.
Still, Traub takes the argument to a sound conclusion
It's satisfying; but I don't see how it can be a good thing, either for public debate or ultimately for the electoral prospects of the Democrats, to have liberals descend to the level of rabid conservatives. Maybe Al Franken has the right idea, since ''Liars'' is not so much an actual diatribe as a sly parody of conservative extremism.
