Call it “the psychopathology of every day mainstream media lives”…. Joe Klein can barely contain himself in his reply to a letter by Abe Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League:
I find your “outrage” particularly galling because the people you defend are constantly spewing canards against those who favor talking to the Palestinians, or who don’t favor witless bellicosity when it comes to Iran. Their campaign of defamation has cost people jobs, damaged reputations and careers. I am very tired of having reasonable people accused of being “soft on terrorism” or “unpatriotic” or favoring “surrender”–Joe Lieberman’s favorite—by Jewish neoconservatives who seem to have a neurotic need to prove their toughness. They, and you, should know that most Jews disagree with their politics and many Jews are disgusted with their behavior. They, and you, should know that the tendency to “cry wolf” about antisemitism does real harm to the Jewish community—indeed, in this case, it is laughable.
Whoa… Somebody’s ox has clearly been gored. I theorized earlier that Klein’s ugly reaction to “Jewish neoconservatives” was projection. Now I think it’s a classic case of the phenomenon, particularly “neurotic” in response to Foxman’s much more considered words.
What’s interesting in Klein’s letter – and in the original article - is that the journalist names no names, other than Joe Lieberman who seems the subject of special opprobrium. (It would be interesting to explore the etiology of that one.) To lump all “Jewish neoconservatives” together is an ancient technique and is intended to make us think they are all alike, whoever they are. Of course Klein is well aware of the history and uses of such a smear, yet still employs it with an alacrity that seems driven by private demons.
In reality, many Jews who supported (and continue to support) the war have wildly disparate views. Some completely support talking with the Palestinians. I am one of those. I am probably more of social liberal than Klein himself too, but he would more than likely lump me with the ubiquitous neocons who are out to get him, not to mention get people fired, as he indicates in the letter.
What appears to be going on here is a kind of deep confusion. The surge is working. History may regard the Iraq War as a success. People like Klein are beginning to suspect (fear?) they may have been wrong. He doesn’t want to face the possibility. So in his defense he brings forth shopworn nonsense like the cliche about Iraq distracting us from our real battle against “those who attacked us,” even though no view could be more simplistic. The battle against Islamofacism is highly complex and takes place on many fronts. Finally he brings forth that canard of canards, blaming everything on the unidentified neocons’ “neurotic need to prove their toughness.” [Why did he miss out on calling them "chicken hawks?-ed. Undoubtedly because he doesn't read enough blogs.]
If Klein’s really talking about Richard Perle here (always a possibility), he might want to view this video I shot, in which the supposed neocon mastermind does demonstrate a neurotic need…. to brew a perfect cup of espresso. (He also talks with far more sophistication and grace than Klein about Iraq.)
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14 Comments
1. LSD:Those in favor of treating terrorists like mere criminals, who also suggest that our real battle is with “those who attacked us”, ought to remember that the ones who attacked us are dead.
Jun 27, 2008 - 7:53 am 2. Lem:From Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ.
Pledge to Make the Fruits of All Developing and Acquired Skills Available to the Black Community. Pledge Allegiance to All Black Leadership Who Espouse and Embrace the Black Value System.
Another possibility is that Joe Klein is padding his resume, if not to have a seat at an Obama would be administration, certainly to have access. Another version of Look see? I’m not wearing a headscarf – I can be in the picture. Access = $ books.
All that “Jewish neocon” pap is aimed at securing access. Klein probably believes that people are going to be taking sides, so he wants to be on the record
In baseball you swing towards were you believe the ball will arrive.
Jun 27, 2008 - 9:34 am 3. Roger L Simon:“Another possibility is that Joe Klein is padding his resume”
True enough, Lem. But he’s going a little over the top on the anger side here. Not necessary.
Jun 27, 2008 - 9:40 am 4. Captain Hate:[i]Their campaign of defamation has cost people jobs[/i]
I’m calling bullshit on this until Klein can provide names. Reading the entire letter was eye-opening; I’d be too embarrassed to show my face in public if I was the source of that fact-challenged, incoherent rant.
Jun 27, 2008 - 10:34 am 5. FJ Harris:Those who care so deeply for the Palestinians, like Mr. Klein, will
Jun 27, 2008 - 11:39 am 6. Lem:anger when one suggests that the company
they keep ’stinketh’.
I find interesting how one can protest the detention and treatment of enemy combatants erstwhile intellectually nuking anyone for daring to question our patriotism on the grounds that “we support the troops”. Never mind that released enemy combatants have been known to come back to kill said supported troops.
But if you are a “Jewish neocon” the nuanced representations of patriotism allotted to self seem to disappear.
To the Joe Klein’s a “Jewish neocon” is someone with “divided loyalties”.
He’s mad because he got caught.
Jun 27, 2008 - 12:04 pm 7. david foster:“real battle is with ‘those who attacked us’”..if these people had been around in 1941, they would have insisted that the real battle was only with the specific Japanese fleet from which the Pearl Harbor attack was launched.
It’s funny…there are so many people who consider themselves “intellectuals” but yet are really challenged when it comes to abstract thinking.
Jun 27, 2008 - 1:12 pm 8. Terrye:Maybe Klein’s best defense is a good offense. He is a tad overexcited to say the least.
Jun 27, 2008 - 2:32 pm 9. John F. MacMichael:One point in Mr. Klein’s rant that I find particularly odd is his labeling Senator Leiberman a “neo-con”. AFAIK, Sen. Leiberman is a classic big government liberal. The one point that separates him from the Democratic Party consensus is that he want us to win our war in Iraq.
Of course, this is just another example of how the term “neo-con”, which originally had a specific meaning has degenerated into a term of political abuse. Like “fascist”, “neo-con” in common use simply means someone the speaker does not like. Tho, unlike “fascist”, “neo-con” also serves as a handy replacement for older terms like “kike” or “yid”.
Jun 27, 2008 - 4:52 pm 10. Lem:The red sox are playing in Houston tonight were they a dominican neo-con.
The story is that Tejada changed his name and shaved two years off his age to improve his contractual prospects.
Get it – neo-con get it?… nevermind.
Jun 27, 2008 - 7:48 pm 11. Charlie (Colorado):He also talks with far more sophistication and grace than Klein about Iraq
That’s faint praise.
Jun 28, 2008 - 9:52 am 12. Mike_K:With respect to Senator Lieberman, the only qualification to be a “neocon” these days is to be Jewish and support the Iraq war. QED.
Jun 28, 2008 - 11:49 am 13. Gary Rosen:MacMichael, you’re going to cause poor Joe Kleing to lose his job! I bet your real name is ben-MacMichaelbergsteinfeldbaum. Not that I’m antisemitic, just anti-neocon.
Jun 28, 2008 - 2:52 pm 14. pst314:“shopworn nonsense like the cliche about Iraq distracting us from our real battle against “those who attacked us,” even though no view could be more simplistic”
I have heard that argument from a number of people who, when they think they are only among like-minded folks, say that we shouldn’t have gone into Afghanistan either.
Jun 28, 2008 - 4:25 pm