The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

What If Glenn Beck Said This?

Posted on | July 8, 2010 | 29 Comments

“I think of Obama’s politics as entirely cultural. It is about creating the new America, epitomized by Barack Obama’s racially mixed radicalism. It is about banishing the Bush-Cheney years by celebrating the man hired to destroy the Constitution. It is about dreaming of a new America — the America transformed by the New Deal, by mass immigration of non-whites, by the civil rights era, by Darwinist hostility to religion. It is a kind of new fundamentalism — animated by no policies that one can determine (has anyone ever heard Obama cite how he would balance the budget?). And yet it’s very potent, because it makes up for its minority status with a ferocity and passion that infuses all truly radical populist movements and can swamp lethargic majorities when necessary.”

Well, of course, his habit of imputing radicalism and secret motives to the Left — “I’m going to expose their hidden agenda!” — is why Glenn Beck is often dismissed as a kooky conspiracy theorist. Yet the quote above is not by Beck, but merely a strategically edited version of what Andrew Sullivan actually wrote at The Atlantic Monthly:

“I think of Palin’s politics as entirely cultural. It is about resisting the new America, epitomized by Barack Obama’s racially mixed pragmatism. It is about banishing the Bush-Cheney years by demonizing the man hired to clean up the appalling mess. It is about dreaming of an old America  – the America before the New Deal, before mass immigration of non-whites, before the civil rights era, before Darwin up-ended fundamentalist nuttery. It is a kind of new fundamentalism – animated by no policies that one can determine (has anyone ever heard Palin cite how she would balance the budget?). And yet it’s very potent, because it makes up for its minority status with a ferocity and passion that infuses all truly radical populist movements and can swamp lethargic majorities when necessary.”

Andrew Sullivan is permitted to say anything he wants about Sarah Palin and her supporters, including insinuations of racism, and his editors at the Atlantic simply don’t care.

Why? Because Anti-Palinism sells.

Liberals gobble up Sullivan’s anti-Palin rants and come back for more. It doesn’t matter whether Sullivan is slamming her for “fundamentalist nuttery” or pretending to have secret knowledge of her obstetric history. The editors at the Atlantic would give Alex Jones his own blog if he’d start pushing Palin conspiracies instead of 9/11 conspiracies.

And if you point out that Sully’s treatment of Palin is far more irresponsible than anything Glenn Beck ever said about Barack Obama?

Crickets chirping.

Category: Andrew Sullivan, Sarah Palin

Comments

29 Responses to “What If Glenn Beck Said This?”

  1. DANEgerus
    July 8th, 2010 @ 5:54 pm

    But.but.but… Andrew Sullivan, just as Ariana Huffington before him, is the MainStreamMedia approved voice of Conservativism.

  2. DANEgerus
    July 8th, 2010 @ 1:54 pm

    But.but.but… Andrew Sullivan, just as Ariana Huffington before him, is the MainStreamMedia approved voice of Conservativism.

  3. Doug Winship
    July 8th, 2010 @ 6:30 pm

    Here’s the thing about anti-Palinism that I think we miss for the most part: The leftist caricature of her provided, and continues to provide retroactively, an excuse, for voting for Obama.
    If you buy her utter unfitness for office, then you just had to vote for Obama. It provides O voters with the excuse of, “McCain made us elect this incompetent boob to the presidency with his choice of VP!” Unfortunately for Palin, you will see this argument more, not less, as O’s numbers fall. Purchasers of Pigs in Pokes NEED an excuse for their mistake.
    They will never give her a chance, and will continue to lap up criticism of her, because if they lose that comfortable fear of her, they will have to stop blaming her, and McCain, for O, and stop blaming O for what is happening, and start blaming themselves….

  4. Doug Winship
    July 8th, 2010 @ 2:30 pm

    Here’s the thing about anti-Palinism that I think we miss for the most part: The leftist caricature of her provided, and continues to provide retroactively, an excuse, for voting for Obama.
    If you buy her utter unfitness for office, then you just had to vote for Obama. It provides O voters with the excuse of, “McCain made us elect this incompetent boob to the presidency with his choice of VP!” Unfortunately for Palin, you will see this argument more, not less, as O’s numbers fall. Purchasers of Pigs in Pokes NEED an excuse for their mistake.
    They will never give her a chance, and will continue to lap up criticism of her, because if they lose that comfortable fear of her, they will have to stop blaming her, and McCain, for O, and stop blaming O for what is happening, and start blaming themselves….

  5. Ben (The Tiger)
    July 8th, 2010 @ 6:47 pm

    Glenn Beck _is_ a kooky conspiracy theorist.

    Read “The Overton Window”? Messed-up stuff.

    Unfortunately, he keeps on being right about things. I don’t like it.

    Somebody else there, could you please take over the stories about communist-sympathizers in the White House, so I don’t have to listen to Beck?

  6. Ben (The Tiger)
    July 8th, 2010 @ 2:47 pm

    Glenn Beck _is_ a kooky conspiracy theorist.

    Read “The Overton Window”? Messed-up stuff.

    Unfortunately, he keeps on being right about things. I don’t like it.

    Somebody else there, could you please take over the stories about communist-sympathizers in the White House, so I don’t have to listen to Beck?

  7. Danby
    July 8th, 2010 @ 7:09 pm

    @gg,
    Please cite 1 (one) single instance of an issue or policy on which Sullivan could be counted as conservative. He’s pro-abortion, pro-gay, pro-Obama, pro-bailout. He’s anti-Republican, anti-Constitution, anti-gun, anti-reason and anti-freedom.
    The man was only ever considered a conservative because, for a little while, he was frightened of Arabs and wanted a war. Well that wore off about 4 years ago.

  8. Danby
    July 8th, 2010 @ 3:09 pm

    @gg,
    Please cite 1 (one) single instance of an issue or policy on which Sullivan could be counted as conservative. He’s pro-abortion, pro-gay, pro-Obama, pro-bailout. He’s anti-Republican, anti-Constitution, anti-gun, anti-reason and anti-freedom.
    The man was only ever considered a conservative because, for a little while, he was frightened of Arabs and wanted a war. Well that wore off about 4 years ago.

  9. crazyshoe
    July 8th, 2010 @ 7:12 pm

    andrew sullivan literally and without question is the worst voice–narrative or whatever you want to classify him–ever. ever! EVER! EVAH! it’s the one thing i know above all else.

    square this paradox for me: i’ve never benefited from a single thing he’s written. not a single phrase, sentence, or blog post. his writing is empty at best and usually quite effective at misleading even as it conveys no meaning, depth, substance. yet he blogs about 8,000 times a day. what a zero.

  10. crazyshoe
    July 8th, 2010 @ 3:12 pm

    andrew sullivan literally and without question is the worst voice–narrative or whatever you want to classify him–ever. ever! EVER! EVAH! it’s the one thing i know above all else.

    square this paradox for me: i’ve never benefited from a single thing he’s written. not a single phrase, sentence, or blog post. his writing is empty at best and usually quite effective at misleading even as it conveys no meaning, depth, substance. yet he blogs about 8,000 times a day. what a zero.

  11. Jeff Weimer
    July 8th, 2010 @ 7:30 pm

    And if you want to sympathize with Glenn Beck over media bias, compare him to Kieth Olbermann.

    What IS your point? Compare what? Why? How is that “comparison” even relevant?

    In nearly every thread, you say something so astoundingly stupid or nonsensical, it makes me worry about mental health, or education, or both.

  12. Jeff Weimer
    July 8th, 2010 @ 3:30 pm

    And if you want to sympathize with Glenn Beck over media bias, compare him to Kieth Olbermann.

    What IS your point? Compare what? Why? How is that “comparison” even relevant?

    In nearly every thread, you say something so astoundingly stupid or nonsensical, it makes me worry about mental health, or education, or both.

  13. Jeff Weimer
    July 8th, 2010 @ 7:46 pm

    That would be YOUR mental health, gg.

  14. Jeff Weimer
    July 8th, 2010 @ 3:46 pm

    That would be YOUR mental health, gg.

  15. Estragon
    July 8th, 2010 @ 8:01 pm

    They can’t fire Sully – the backlash amongst the mentally deranged would be vicious, and who the heck else reads the Atlantic, anyway?

  16. Estragon
    July 8th, 2010 @ 4:01 pm

    They can’t fire Sully – the backlash amongst the mentally deranged would be vicious, and who the heck else reads the Atlantic, anyway?

  17. Andrew Sullivan
    July 8th, 2010 @ 8:08 pm

    Yeah, what gg said.

    I am a conservative who supports Obama, thought the surge in Iraq was a mistake and still do (we should have left in 2007 and let it go full scale civil war), I am for repealing the Bush tax cuts and increasing taxes, for a tax on gasoline, for cap and trade, for fighting global warming, say I am against entitlements but support Barack Obama’s health care reform and expansion of entitlements, wants to stop male genital mutilation, for war trials for all senior memebers of the Bush administration, and think Trig Palin’s birth is a massive conspiracy.

    Did I miss something?

  18. Andrew Sullivan
    July 8th, 2010 @ 4:08 pm

    Yeah, what gg said.

    I am a conservative who supports Obama, thought the surge in Iraq was a mistake and still do (we should have left in 2007 and let it go full scale civil war), I am for repealing the Bush tax cuts and increasing taxes, for a tax on gasoline, for cap and trade, for fighting global warming, say I am against entitlements but support Barack Obama’s health care reform and expansion of entitlements, wants to stop male genital mutilation, for war trials for all senior memebers of the Bush administration, and think Trig Palin’s birth is a massive conspiracy.

    Did I miss something?

  19. 24AheadDotCom
    July 8th, 2010 @ 4:33 pm

    Other parts of the Atlantic aren’t doing much better. Coates banned me for showing how he’s wrong several months ago. On Ambinder’s side of the site my comments used to post immediately, but now they appear to be pre-moderating comments with the latest ones from me showing how CGood and Ambinder are wrong not making the cut:

    disqus.com/LonewackoDotCom (note: my display name is the same as above)

  20. 24AheadDotCom
    July 8th, 2010 @ 8:33 pm

    Other parts of the Atlantic aren’t doing much better. Coates banned me for showing how he’s wrong several months ago. On Ambinder’s side of the site my comments used to post immediately, but now they appear to be pre-moderating comments with the latest ones from me showing how CGood and Ambinder are wrong not making the cut:

    disqus.com/LonewackoDotCom (note: my display name is the same as above)

  21. qq
    July 8th, 2010 @ 9:46 pm

    @gg

    I’m new around here, but just from reading that Sullivan article I would wager that he’s closer to some form of progressive-libertarianism than conservatism.

    I do not consider myself a conservative. Funnily enough, I find myself on the same page with Mr. Sullivan on a a couple of topics, namely abortion and marriage equality. And let me reiterate: I do not consider myself a conservative.

    Funny thing about labels; anybody can use them. I, sitting at home at my computer, could claim to be a Trotskyite. I could parrot all the slogans and use all the symbolism. But in my heart of hearts, this would be a lie. I hate communism, and the only possible reason I’d identify myself with it would be to bring it down from the inside. Get the picture?

    Meanwhile, Mr. Sullivan has demonstrated contemptible bigotry against a relatively innocuous woman simply because he wishes to assert his own superiority. His creed is a holier-than-thou approach to politics, “I’m better than the unwashed masses”. He has created a straw-woman, given it Sarah Palin’s face, and proceeds to kick it around when he wants to sound important.

    I’m not a conservative, even though I’m often sympathetic to conservative causes. I will never disrespect the conservative community by claiming to be one of them. Because of this, I can have productive relationships with conservatives even when I disagree with them.

    In the spirit of ideological integrity, Andrew Sullivan ought to drop the labels and be honest with the rest of us.

    P.S.
    Wanna see what a real moderate conservative looks like? Check out Cynthia Yockey.

  22. qq
    July 8th, 2010 @ 5:46 pm

    @gg

    I’m new around here, but just from reading that Sullivan article I would wager that he’s closer to some form of progressive-libertarianism than conservatism.

    I do not consider myself a conservative. Funnily enough, I find myself on the same page with Mr. Sullivan on a a couple of topics, namely abortion and marriage equality. And let me reiterate: I do not consider myself a conservative.

    Funny thing about labels; anybody can use them. I, sitting at home at my computer, could claim to be a Trotskyite. I could parrot all the slogans and use all the symbolism. But in my heart of hearts, this would be a lie. I hate communism, and the only possible reason I’d identify myself with it would be to bring it down from the inside. Get the picture?

    Meanwhile, Mr. Sullivan has demonstrated contemptible bigotry against a relatively innocuous woman simply because he wishes to assert his own superiority. His creed is a holier-than-thou approach to politics, “I’m better than the unwashed masses”. He has created a straw-woman, given it Sarah Palin’s face, and proceeds to kick it around when he wants to sound important.

    I’m not a conservative, even though I’m often sympathetic to conservative causes. I will never disrespect the conservative community by claiming to be one of them. Because of this, I can have productive relationships with conservatives even when I disagree with them.

    In the spirit of ideological integrity, Andrew Sullivan ought to drop the labels and be honest with the rest of us.

    P.S.
    Wanna see what a real moderate conservative looks like? Check out Cynthia Yockey.

  23. Andrew Sullivan
    July 8th, 2010 @ 11:50 pm

    I love Oakeshott almost as much as I love kicking Trig and Sarah like a FIFA soccer ball.

  24. Andrew Sullivan
    July 8th, 2010 @ 7:50 pm

    I love Oakeshott almost as much as I love kicking Trig and Sarah like a FIFA soccer ball.

  25. HerneTheHunter
    July 8th, 2010 @ 11:51 pm

    Andrew Sullivan left the farm a long time ago.

  26. HerneTheHunter
    July 8th, 2010 @ 7:51 pm

    Andrew Sullivan left the farm a long time ago.

  27. Obama forces through another socialist | MorallyRight.org
    July 9th, 2010 @ 3:46 am

    […] What If Glenn Beck Said This? : The Other McCain […]

  28. Macker
    July 9th, 2010 @ 11:06 am

    [Deleted]

  29. Macker
    July 9th, 2010 @ 7:06 am

    [Deleted]