January 29, 2001

 

SCHEER NONSENSE

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I remember the 1960's. Back then, the Los Angeles Times was a conservative newspaper, and a guy named Robert Scheer was an editor of the left-wing Ramparts magazine.

While many people were against the Vietnam war at the time, few took the pro-Communist position calling not for US withdrawal, but for US defeat. Scheer was one of the few.

Times change, though, and the Times changed as well, evidently believing that to be among the country's great newspapers, it had to become like the New York Times and Washington Post. That is to say enlightened--and Leftist.

What a propitious time, then, for an unrepentant Leftist, now rapidly approaching the age of 40, seeing his best years as a radical in the rear-view mirror. Scheer got hired by the LA Times. The perfect bully pulpit!

For those who live outside Los Angeles, it may be difficult to understand our curious brand of radical chic. There are several local media outlets--by no means just the Times--that feature a crazy quilt combination of left-wing politics, ads for upscale retailers and cosmetic surgery, ethnic-friendly news coverage, profiles of hip business enterprises, and muckraking.

Admittedly, this is a strange mixture, and would seem to apply to no demographic in particular.

But, then, if you are a recently starving actor or comedian, who through mainly luck is now knocking down 2.5 (as in million dollars), how better to satisfy YOUR combination of guilt, greed, and need to identify with the little people? This being LA, many people fancy themselves as future, current, or former stars, so it all starts making some sense, sort of.

As for Scheer, he does truly typify Karl Kraus' definition of a journalist, as someone with no ideas and the ability to express them.

To wit--

"In foreign affairs, Clinton left his mark as a peacemaker willing to deal boldly with the seemingly intractable problems of Northern Ireland, the Balkans and the Mideast, while easing trade and other barriers among nations." (Jan 23, 2001)

Compare that to

"It's inexcusable that Clinton ordered the invasion of Yugoslavia while Russia's highly knowledgeable prime minister, Yevgeny Primakov, was in flight to Washington, and that Clinton rejected Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin's request for a meeting of the G8 nations. And why bypass the United Nations?" (April 6, 1999)

Are we to conclude that Clinton is great and all, but pales in comparison to former Commies?

How about these:

"Intimidated by the right-wing's absurd claim of a liberal bias, journalists tend to be hard on Democrats while granting Republicans a free pass." (Jan 23, 2001)

Robert, are you still smoking some of that stuff from your Berkeley days? Do you actually believe this? If a writer with your very limited aptitude held conservative views, can you even argue for a moment that he would have a job with an elite paper and be syndicated as you are?

"Yes, he [Clinton] was a product of the '60s, and thank God for his not being self-righteously square." (Jan 23, 2001)

Ah, yes, another atheist invoking God. Clinton certainly was not self-righteously square. He was self-righteously shameless--and still is. Enjoy the delicious irony of a burned-out elitist Leftist know- nothing embracing a white trash degenerate. Only in America!

And finally, check out this sneering attempt at humor (addressed to Dubya):

"You're scared, and for good reason: More voters rejected you, the presidency will demand more than that four hour workday you're used to, and you know painfully little about the world you're now expected to lead."

"It must be more unnerving than before one of those big tests at Yale when even your tutor was hung over. This is not 'gentleman's C's' time, this is being the 43rd president of the United States."

"I know, running for president was a lot of fun, but you're now discovering with those mock Cabinet meetings you're holding that being president is real work." (Nov, 22, 2000)

Well, Robert, I suppose that it would be pointless to tell you that your writing talents have not improved, and have probably deteriorated since the Ramparts days. After all, when your wife is a bigwig at the LA Times, it kind of greases the skids, doesn't it? I know. YOU earned it, but Dubya didn't.

Keep on doing what you're doing. It really helps our side.


 

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