tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post3595286705533338042..comments2024-02-24T00:37:43.087-05:00Comments on The Other McCain: Greenwald vs. 'abject ignorance'?Robert Stacy McCainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03084541621503669804noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-76913269194694838562009-01-23T13:23:00.000-05:002009-01-23T13:23:00.000-05:00"Glaring ignorance" among political reporters is n..."Glaring ignorance" among political reporters is not new. There is a great reference to it in a novel form more than 50 years ago, Ediwn O'Connor's "The Last Hurrah." The reporter is nicknamed "Mattress" Mulrooney because he never leaves his house and seldom leaves his bed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-21561720597380508912009-01-23T02:27:00.000-05:002009-01-23T02:27:00.000-05:00I think "Glenn Greenwald" is just a sock puppet fo...I think "Glenn Greenwald" is just a sock puppet for Thomas Ellers.<BR/><BR/>Anyhoo, at the 48-49 minute mark, Greenwald says the following: If the media is not serving its "public function," perhaps "we ought to consider repealing the First Amendment. I don't see why we need to give journalists any privileges at all."<BR/><BR/>And at the 50-51 minute mark, he says "and if they, the media is not doing a good job of performing those functions of the common good and the social interest, then we should revoke their special privileges as well."<BR/><BR/>Now, this was clearly intended as a reductio ad absurdum against Miss McArdle's point that the press has no special responsibility to serve as an anti-government watchdog. But it clearly indicates that Greenwald's "First Amendment absolutist" stance is based on a particular theory about, and understanding of, the First Amendment, and (and here's what those quotes prove) is conditioned on, and conditional with, the press acting as he thinks they should.<BR/><BR/>It's all well and good to say "I've never said the state should impose affirmative obligations on the press," and "I oppose the fairness doctrine" and yadda-yadda. But one has no basis for First Amendment opposition to affirmative state obligations or to the fairness doctrine if one believes ... as Greenwald says quite clearly he does ... that the very existence of the First Amendment ought to be conditional upon the press doing things X,Y,Z (which they are currently not doing, Greenwald never tires of telling us). The fact Greenwald calls himself "a First Amendment absolutist" is mere obiter dicta if he undercuts the basis for its existence.<BR/><BR/>I firmly believe that a man is the only and absolute authority on his self-conscious opinions. But because we have absolute choice of our opinions, we also have no choice whatever about the consequences of those opinions. By making his 1st Amendment stance conditional upon particular behavior, Greenwald actually undermines it. Or epigrammatically, the fact that one opposes building a roof is of consequence if you supported building a foundation and walls.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-10537701199818264242009-01-22T22:23:00.000-05:002009-01-22T22:23:00.000-05:00Quoth our host:--------The Case of the Tortured An...Quoth our host:<BR/><BR/>--------<BR/>The Case of the Tortured Analogy, wherein I find myself accused of likening Glenn Greenwald to Sherlock Holmes. <BR/>--------<BR/><BR/>I thought you were saying Greenwald acts like he's a cocaine addict.<BR/><BR/>Anyone who claims that a very short stint at a big New York-based law firm has made him into a "constitutional litigator" has obviously got his head so far up his own behind that he probably needs some sort of anesthetic. (My perspective for so opining is as a former <I>partner</I> of a comparable New York-based law firm.) Oh, the pain, the pain of sock-puppetry!Beldarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13404583858244777905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-80873452975432568962009-01-22T21:47:00.000-05:002009-01-22T21:47:00.000-05:00Greenwald always reminds me of PeeWee Herman with ...Greenwald always reminds me of PeeWee Herman with a law education. He spends an enormous amount of effort obfuscating his cries of "I know you are, but what am I?" and parsing words and sentences and threatening in a lawyerly way, but it's just to cover up his PeeWee Herman essence.<BR/><BR/>He's mainly an irritant with an enormous ego and Delusions of Adequacy.JorgXMcKiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07509568525555189690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-21261282657976168492009-01-22T21:25:00.000-05:002009-01-22T21:25:00.000-05:00The man's what my grandmother would call a well ed...The man's what my grandmother would call a well educated idiot. And she was a newspaper writer with a degree from Penn in the thirties.RR Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00225650265878142310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-43322154967632852292009-01-22T20:00:00.000-05:002009-01-22T20:00:00.000-05:00You have the obligation -- an ethical one -- not t...<I>You have the obligation -- an ethical one -- not to completely misrepresent other people's arguments...</I><BR/><BR/>So says Glenn Greenwald who has made a career out of misrepresenting other's arguments. Watching that video, I'm struck with the impression that Glenn's mainly upset that all the things <B>he</B> thinks are important (and thus imminently newsworthy) aren't getting the attention <B>he</B> thinks worthy. <BR/><BR/>Note all the issues he keeps on bringing up are <B>his</B> hobby-horses, and how he always injects them in the conversation. <BR/><BR/>Shorter Greenwald: <I>Why won't the media spend all their resources investigating the stories <B>I</B> think important, and publish them according to <B>my</B> partisan narrative.</I> <BR/><BR/>In fact, it sure seems like Glenn's about to break out in a tantrum because the media doesn't acquiesce to his whims.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-23551060836903923222009-01-22T19:09:00.000-05:002009-01-22T19:09:00.000-05:00It could be that Greenwald is just a ... dickIt could be that Greenwald is just a ... dickRouxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12459659398010937497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-48496029473572702782009-01-22T18:59:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:59:00.000-05:00Doesn't this guy's dough-face kind of creep you ou...Doesn't this guy's dough-face kind of creep you out?paul a'bargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08854004347728185047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-48502358382456732472009-01-22T18:56:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:56:00.000-05:00[Glenn(s) Green(s)wald writes:]There are "obligati...[Glenn(s) Green(s)wald writes:]<I>There are "obligations" other than ones imposed by the state. You have the obligation -- an ethical one -- not to completely misrepresent other people's arguments, but the fact that you breached that obligation here -- and, in general, do so repeatedly -- doesn't mean I think the state should impose punishments on you. I don't. </I><BR/><BR/>No folks, I'm not dead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-5540482417583082822009-01-22T18:42:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:42:00.000-05:00Just a note, but Glenn (Reynolds) was referring to...Just a note, but Glenn (Reynolds) was referring to the supercomputer from Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress rather than Sherlock's brother (the 'But you can just call me “Mike” . . . .' is a dead giveaway)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-61288209261041753842009-01-22T18:38:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:38:00.000-05:00I strenuously object to the characterization of Gl...I strenuously object to the characterization of Glenn(s) Greenwald as "Holmes." He strikes me as more the "Inspector Clouseau" type, esp. with regard to his many faces, his outsize ego, and the wake of destruction he leaves. He doesn't, however, remind me of Clouseau in his perpetual, if accidental, rightness.Jamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00623031374944444521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-50725205150599798702009-01-22T18:28:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:28:00.000-05:00I'm certainly no fan of Glenn Greenwald and his ma...I'm certainly no fan of Glenn Greenwald and his many Brazilian boyfriends. But he is making something that is, if true, and important point: are the military commissions governed by the UCMJ? If yes, then he is engaging in his typical asshatery. But if no, then he has a legitimate claim to the factual accuracy of McArdle's post.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04854543617806427302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-42558021823234882722009-01-22T18:27:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:27:00.000-05:00Forcing reporters to report on certain topics or t...Forcing reporters to report on certain topics or to report a certain way? Hmmmph. I guess that's just Gleen showing off all that First Amendment expertise that has as a result of being a recognized constitutional scholar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-32305023635832842572009-01-22T18:22:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:22:00.000-05:00"She's bigger than Godzilla"That comes off rather ..."She's bigger than Godzilla"<BR/><BR/>That comes off rather churlishly.<BR/><BR/>Let me chivalrously and accurately add, "but way prettier".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-11827711457924336752009-01-22T18:16:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:16:00.000-05:00I'm really not sure why I'm bothering, and I'm alm...I'm really not sure why I'm bothering, and I'm almost certain I'm going to regret it -- I already do -- but please identify a single instance where, either in that video or anywhere else, I've ever advocated that the state impose obligations on journalists.<BR/><BR/>I don't and haven't. <BR/><BR/>I'm against all government intrusion into media activity. I'm against the Fairness Doctrine. I'm against hate speech laws. I'm basically a First Amendment absolutist.<BR/><BR/>We weren't talking in that discussion about <B>obligations on journalists imposed by the state</B>. We were talking about ethical and professional obligations which journalists have in exchange for all of the unique benefits they receive from the Government (shield laws, special protections from subpoenas, special access, etc.).<BR/><BR/>There are "obligations" other than ones imposed by the state. You have the obligation -- an ethical one -- not to completely misrepresent other people's arguments, but the fact that you breached that obligation here -- and, in general, do so repeatedly -- doesn't mean I think the state should impose punishments on you. I don't.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-84416871139826265072009-01-22T14:10:00.000-05:002009-01-22T14:10:00.000-05:00Glenn Greenwald must be still nursing a grudge fro...Glenn Greenwald must be still nursing a grudge from when Megan McArdle spanked him on <A HREF="http://bloggingheads.tv/diavlogs/10187" REL="nofollow">Bloggingheads </A>Social Justice NPC Anti-Paladin™https://www.blogger.com/profile/14533575674043719198noreply@blogger.com