Skip to main content

The World is Round

Tom Friedman is the most maddening columnist of all time - why, because exactly half the time he is totally on target with his analysis and the other half he is totally wrong. Yesterday I watched him on Meet the Press and he explained why he had called George Bush "Radioactive" in last weeks Op/Ed piece. After conceding that "some of it’s excessive, this dislike, this distaste, this hatred of George Bush" - he presses on to dig a little deeper.

"But what’s it about? Whenever you see something that excessive, you know?

And the way I explain it is this way: Foreigners love to make fun of Americans. Our naivete, our crazy thought that every problem has a solution, that silly American notion, that silly American optimism. But you know what, Tim? Deep down, the world really envies that American optimism and naivete. And the world needs that American optimism and naivete.

And so when we go from a country that, historically, has always exported hope to a country that always exports fear, what we do, and what this administration has done, is actually stolen something from people. Whether it’s an African or a European or an Arab or Israeli, it’s that idea of an optimistic America out there. People really need that idea, and the sort of dark nature of the Cheneys and the Bushes and the Rices, this, this sort of relentless pessimism about the world, this exporting of fear, not hope, has really left people feeling that the idea of America has been stolen from them. And I would argue that that is the animating force behind so much of the animus directed at George Bush."

This is what passes for analysis on the Sunday morning news shows! There was no follow up from Russert - nothing like:
"Do you really think it's in our national interest to be perceived as a naive country worthy of ridicule?"
"Many critics claim that it is George Bush who is naive so why isn't that aspect of his character viewed favorably by the world community?"
"Can you describe the kind of fear that our country is now exporting under the Bush/Cheney regime? Do you mean the fledgling democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq?"
"You claim that an African or a European or an Arab or Israeli really needs the idea of an optimistic America, but why?"
"Aside from the fact that they don't listen to your advise, do you have any evidence of the dark nature of the Cheneys and the Bushes and the Rices?"
"You say that Bush is hated by the world because 'the idea of America has been stolen from them' but the idea of America was never theirs to begin with so why should we care?"

Friedman's answer for the Middle East is more of the same old shit they've been living with for the past 30 years. He loves to watch the spectacle from the window of his jet plane as he fly's in and out of the capital cities that still have working airports. Israel's nightmare is his bread and butter and he has no interest in long term answers.

Thanks for your thoughts Tom, but I think I'll leave it to Condi Rice to figure out this mess and leave you to your goofy ideas.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson

She was "sexy", but "too much hard work." I'm a regular Fox & Friends viewer (mostly in protest of the other insipid morning programs like Today and Good Morning America) so over the years I've gotten to know Gretchen Carlson pretty well. Stuck between Steve and Brian she always seemed a prudish scold with an irritating, self-righteous demeanor that I simply put up with because I figured some people in the Fox audience actually liked her persona. It was obvious that Steve and Brian did not, but they were stuck with her like so many talking heads and had to make the best of it - which they did. Besides, she was no worse than any of the other women on morning show TV - I mean, you're only going to find a certain kind of person to do this kind of work and that kind of person is the Gretchen Carlson kind. Then, one day, she was gone and replaced by Elisabeth Hasselbeck and the F&F ratings began to climb, and climb and climb - in two months view

The 4th Estate "does not know"

Last night Jim Acosta sat down for an interview with Larry Sabato at a national symposium series presented by the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics titled “Democracy in Perilous Times.” The evening’s topic was “ The Fourth Estate: Enemy of the People? ” and the crowd was warmly receptive of Acosta’s message which, boiled down to its essence, is that Donald Trump is a liar and he’s making life dangerous for reporters. Sabato introduced Acosta to the audience as Enemy #1 which drew mirthful laughter from the auditorium and then presented a short video montage of President Trump and his deplorable rubes insulting the reporter on many occasions over the past two years. This was all a set up for his first question which was, “how do you do your Job?” Acosta said the he accomplishes his duties by maintaining focus, reporting the story and telling the truth but acknowledged that it is difficult when the White House erodes the peoples faith in the press by bullying reporters. Whe

A Apolitical Blues

Well my telephone was ringing, and they told me it was chairman Mao. You got to tell him anything 'cause I just don't want to talk to him now. According to the brilliant troubadour Lowell George the Apolitical Blues are " the meanest blues of all" and who am I to disagree with this soul man now after all these years of living by his maxim.  I first heard the song bursting from the 1972 vinyl of Little Feat's Alt-Rock-Country masterpiece "Sailin' Shoes" in the second story bedroom of my friend John's older brother Edie who, being about 3 years our senior, was instructing us on the importance of good music. This was circa 1975 and a formative time for my musical taste and overall aesthetic which, for better or worse, infuses every aspect of my existence including the KOTCB blog so a debt is owed this unforgettable "older brother" now that  he has shuffled off this mortal coil  and left us with smoky memories. A born rebel with the heart o