John Podhoretz
John Podhoretz Returns For More Punishment
The Commentary editor follows up to say that his response to my critique of Robert Kagan: was not a rebuttal; rather, I was making a point about the bizarre nature of publishing a rather personal and ad hominem attack on someone who is on the masthead of his own publication. If Chait wishes to explain why that conduct is appropriate, that would be interesting to read. It would be one thing if, sharing Chait’s disgust with the argument posed by Kagan, the magazine’s editor, Martin Peretz, removed Kagan from the masthead and then let Chait have at him.
Biden's Good Enough For Me
John Podhoretz who, mirabili dictu, by the time the season passes will have become editor of Commentary, had been preparing for real life at the New York Post. But the laws of primogeniture intervened and now here he is dispensing all kinds of insidious bits of gossip, not at this point about Barack Obama but about Joe Biden, the flimsy Obama file having already long ago been exhausted. See Contentions in Commentary on-line.
From One U Of C Graduate To Another: Analogy Alert
The newly anointed editor of Commentary, John Podhoretz, published a column in which he said I called Tim Russert a Nazi here on Open U. Now the right wing blogosphere is marching in formation to broadcast the charge.Worse, Podhoretz said I was a nobody before I published my book, “Get to Work.”Whassup? In making a plea for Democrats to stay away from Russert’s thinly disguised Democrat Destruction Machine, I invoked the very famous poem attributed to German Pastor Martin Niemoller.
Podhoretz Watch
Over at The Corner, John Podhoretz lays out his "12 Commitments to Corner Readers." Item number ten reads:"I will throw a party for one of the bloggers at the New Republic when he turns five on his next birthday." Ha! Now, just for a moment, wipe the tears streaming down your face, sit up straight, and try to maintain composure in the face of this comic barrage. Good.
Podenfreude
John Podhoretz takes issue with Brad's post below by calling him a "four year-old" and using some lazy grammar. Still, I do agree with one comment of his: Geopolitics shouldn't be discussed at the "nursery school." Instead, we ought to turn for expertise to film reviewers hired out of nepotism. That would bring a much needed dose of seriousness to our national conversation. --Isaac Chotiner
Giuliani And Podhoretz
As Brad notes here, Michael Wolff's Vanity Fair takedown of Rudy Giuliani shows the former mayor to be both bullying and obnoxious. Some of us at The New Republic have been eagerly anticipating how John Podhoretz, Giuliani's biggest fan, will respond. For instance, what will he make of this: His "arrogance and egotism had a psychological effect people can't quite believe," says one staff member. Or this: "If you misplaced a comma, he would tell you you were a no-talent dirtball. He was even mean to interns." Oops.
Imus And Wonkette
John Podhoretz: And I Thought She Was, Like, Soooo Un-PCAna Marie Cox, the former Wonkette who made a name for herself by cursing and gossiping and in general being totally girls-gone-wild online, won't appear on Imus any longer. Because some things are beyond the pale. Plus it's a sinking ship. So that helps. Podhoretz, who made a name for himself by having the last name 'Podhoretz' writing great movie reviews, is making perfect sense: People who spend their time teasing politicians shouldn't be offended by outright racism. Keep up the good work, John! --Isaac Chotiner
