First

One of the first blogs I ever read on the Internet was Andrew Sullivan's. Andrew's a great writer and a number of his views mirrored mine. I liked that he could be staunchly conservative on some issues, and yet "out there" on other topics, like gay rights. One of the best things about Andrew was that he didn't seem to allow his emotions to run amuck through rationality and reason.

But. That was then, and this is now.

Now an alien seems to have taken over Andrew's site. The invasion of Andrew's body snatcher seems to have occurred roughly around the time that George W. Bush announced his support for the amendment "protecting" marriage.

While I agree with Andrew that this is a wrong-headed concept - both because the idea of preventing gays from establishing legal, loving relationships is wrong, and because altering our Constitution for this is wrong, I haven't had my brain turn to ooze as a result. I can imagine that this issue matters far, far more to Andrew than to me - though I do have dear friends and family who are gay and at least in theory are affected by these issues. Still, the honest philosophers among us ought to stick to data and logic when examining the issues; not our raw emotions.

Since Andrew "lost it," his blog has degenerated. Instead of the thoughtful writer who weighed the actions and beliefs of this administration fairly - even if I didn't always agree - we now have a voice that sounds like a fugitive from Moveon.org.

Today's entry is an example:

THE GOODS ON BUSH: This isn't getting any prettier, is it? But it's always been obvious that, during Vietnam, George W. Bush benefited from the soft affirmative action of pedigreed privilege. The CBS-recovered forms are pretty devastating in this repsect, I'd say. Money quote: Another memo refers to a phone call from the lieutenant in which he and his commander "discussed options of how Bush can get out of coming to drill from now through November." And that due to other commitments "he may not have time."

On August 1, 1972, Col. Killian grounded Lt. Bush for failure to perform to U.S. Air Force/Texas Air National Guard standards and for failure to take his annual physical as ordered.

A year after Lt. Bush's suspension from flying, Killian was asked to write another assessment.
Killian's memo, titled 'CYA' reads he is being pressured by higher-ups to give the young pilot a favorable yearly evaluation; to, in effect, sugarcoat his review. He refuses, saying, "I'm having trouble running interference and doing my job."

You've got that and the guy who pulled the strings to get Bush in the Guard saying he's now ashamed of what he did. Now: I hate this kind of sleaze. But the Bush campaign's attack on Kerry's military service makes it all sadly legit. Is there a real, substantive response to this (and I don't mean sliming Barnes as a Democrat)? Are the forms forgeries? Is Barnes lying? I'd be more than happy to read (or run) a cogent, factual rebuttal.

Of course, no evidence whatsoever that the Bush administration is "attacking" Kerry's record. Indeed; the Bush administration has repeatedly stated it admires and honors the contributions that Kerry made in Vietnam.

Andrew is incredibly well read, and he must know this. Still, he ignores it and instead resorts to the worst innuendo and rumor available.

So. Another first.

For the first time, I have removed one of my "Read 'Em; I Do" recommendations. Andrew Sullivan is gone. I have no reason to send my readers there.

Instead, I am adding a new blog that is held in high esteem by people that I enjoy. Ally at Who Moved My Truth? and Bill at Bill's Comments have pointed me in the direction of Amy Ridenour's National Center. And now, I shall direct you there, too!

Sad to see Andrew leave, but delighted to have Amy on board!

Comments

[Steve H]

Peg,

It now looks very much like the "new" memos that CBS dredged up are all forgeries !

Steve

[Matthew]

Hmmm... Seems like your support of Sullivan's blog ended about the same time he came out saying he couldn't vote for Bush. As much as you claim to be an independent thinker, your conservative bias and blind faith in the Bush administration is clear.

Also, I am not surprised you would buy into the claim that the administration had nothing to do with the Swift Boat ads. They may state that they admire Kerry's contributions, but their actions and the connections that have been daylighted show otherwise.

And Steve, not only do I not believe the new memos are forgeries, I predict in the weeks to come there will be more "discovered" papers released by the White House as pressure builds.

[Peg K]

Actually, you are wrong about the timing of my support of Sullivan's blog and his support for Bush. Sullivan said he was supporting Kerry and not Bush months ago. While obviously I do not agree with him - I'm supporting Bush - I still valued what I mentioned about Andrew and looked forward to hearing his remarks.

As I described, however, Sullivan has degenerated from straightforward thinking on the issues to irrational statements. I assume that it's because of Bush's positions on gay rights, though assuredly I could be wrong.

As for the administration being behind the Swift Boat ads - show me the evidence, Matthew. So far, I've seen none. And many of the vets in the group are either independents, or have publicly supported Democrats in the past. The group itself does not seem partisan - nor even Bush supporters. They are against Kerry; not for Bush.

As for my "blind faith" in the Bush administration? You must have the wrong blog. While I do support - and strongly - some of what this administration has done (the war, free markets, personal liberty), I also am critical of other actions and policies (abortion rights, gay rights, excessive spending).

Perhaps you shoulda been looking in the mirror when it comes to "bias", Matthew....

[Steve H]

Matthew,

Please note that these memos were not "released by the Whitehouse" ... the memos in question were faxed to the Whitehouse prior to the 60 Minutes hit piece, and are completely different in character and appearance than other memos that actually were released by the Whitehouse.

Remember ... "Never let facts get in the way of a good argument" ...

Steve

[Matthew]

"As for the administration being behind the Swift Boat ads - show me the evidence, Matthew. So far, I've seen none. And many of the vets in the group are either independents, or have publicly supported Democrats in the past. The group itself does not seem partisan - nor even Bush supporters. They are against Kerry; not for Bush."

1. A volunteer adviser has quit President Bush's re-election campaign after appearing in a veterans group's television commercial blasting Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's involvement in the Vietnam-era antiwar movement. CNN - August 23, 2004

2. A lawyer for President Bush's re-election campaign disclosed Tuesday that he has been providing legal advice for a veterans group that is challenging Democratic Sen. John Kerry's account of his Vietnam War service. AP - August 24, 2004

Not to mention the numerous ties, documented many times over, between the Swift Boat group and hard-core conservative Republicans, many from Texas, who have supported Bush in the past.

Tell me again how this is not a partisan group, and how they are not even really Bush supporters?

[KS]

Hey Matt,
Keep up the good fight. You will never get them to say or admit that any Republican or George Bush can do any wrong. I stopped trying, but I still view this site from time to time to get a good chuckle. Keep up the good fight. By the way you are right on about the Andrew Sullivan point.

[Peg K]

It truly is beyond me when people refuse to look at facts. What motivates them?

Both Kevin and Matt embrace the fiction that I (I cannot, of course, speak for others) am some Republican/conservative shill. This despite already stating that I do not agree with this administration about:

1. Gay marriage
2. Abortion
3. The death penalty
4. The war on drugs
5. Excessive spending
6. Abolition of estate taxes
7. Steel tariffs (thankfully later
rescinded)
9. Signing McCain-Feingold

Somehow, however, I don't believe that my list will dispel your faith in my "refusal to admit that any Republican can do any wrong."

Just me tilting at windmills again, I suppose.