Mr Kurtz goes to Washington
Monday October 31, 2005; part of: War

Is it old age, or just encroaching sanity that means where once I would have dissolved in wet-farting indignation, this morning, I just laughed, happy and helpless, when I read Victor Davis Hansen's prescription for the Bush administration: "The key to Iraq is enfeebling those around it who are weakening the country — namely Syria and Iran. The U.S. should be calling for democratic reform in both countries — constantly, without interruption, and in the same idealistic fashion as we appeal to the Iraqis. This is an appeal that cries out for illustration but I won't link to the actual photographs.

Posted by andrewb at October 31, 2005 11:39 AM
Comments

Yes, an extraordinary article. It has a slightly hysterical tone: if things don't go your way, then just shout louder...

But the weirdest thing passes almost unnoticed at the beginning of the piece:

They relished the idea of a Scalia frying Joe Biden in a televised cross-examination or another articulate black female nominee once again embarrassing a shrill Barbara Boxer.

An articulate black female nominee??

Aren't judges normally articulate? It's part of their job, what they're trained to do. Of all the tributes paid to Rehnquist, did a single one dwell on his 'articulacy'?

Well, no - being able to string a coherent sentence together is generally regarded as a basic qualification for being a judge. Even Harriet Miers passed that test...

So, if he weren't talking about a black, female nominee, I wonder if he would have even bothered to raise the matter...

We describe precocious ten-year-olds as articulate, not judges...

For reference, you might take a look at www.blackpeopleloveus.com....

Posted by: Thomas on November 2, 2005 11:00 AM

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