Quote of the day
posted at 9:30 pm on March 8, 2009 by Allahpundit
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“Frum’s critique of Limbaugh is that he unnecessarily alienates those we need to persuade — the moderates and almost-conservatives — by engaging in gratuitous provocations which are more cathartic than forensic. And yet when it comes to the people Frum first needs to persuade — the mainstream of the conservative movement — he engages in precisely the same style of ‘debate’ through invective…
Frum of course got the Strange New Respect he’s been angling for recently, as the very partisan liberal Newsweek asked him to submit a 4 page essay on why conservatives suck. They didn’t even mind that one-quarter of it was merely a complete cut-and-paste from a blog-post he wrote. A blog post, of course, that called Limbaugh, for no particularly good reason, a fat divorced drug-addicted fatso fat-ass.
And yet he sits there playing victim, scratching his head at all these terrible besmirchments of his character, wondering why it is we just can’t sit here like sensible adults and hash these issues out in a dispassionate manner.”
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Good point!
Montana on March 9, 2009 at 3:53 AM
The main ‘problem’ that I have with Frum now (and with the Palin attacks that Will, Brooks, Noonan, baby Buckley et al spewed during the run up to the election) is that Frum’s attention is on Rush and NOT on obama and what obama’s doing to this country.
For example, in tug-of-war everyone has to pull in the same direction. There may be disagreement on the proper grip or stance but everyone KNOWS that they have to pull AND together for the good of the team. Or lose.
It’s kinda hard to achieve a goal when members of your own team aren’t giving their best efforts in support of that goal. Anyone that has played a team sport or been a member of a group project understands that simple concept.
This isn’t about who’s the Chief and who are the Indians. This is about being a team and fulfilling your role in order to win.
Now, I’m all cliched out…
Gohawgs on March 9, 2009 at 3:53 AM
Whenever I listen or read Frum, the contempt he has for people with my beliefs comes through loud and clear.
As if I should feel honored that he deigns to come down from heaven and sprinkle his wisdom on my common brain.
As if I haven’t seen his gig before, the discredited big government conservative, without an audience, trying to revive his career by appealing to liberals via slamming conservatives. In the end, he’s just a bore.
blue13326 on March 9, 2009 at 4:00 AM
Many have said the same in these posts as you have so eloquently pointed out.
Frum and his cronies proves that for far too long these voices do not speak for us, but they are are frauds of conservationism. Like an STD, they have infected our party and this blighted elitism needs to be removed.
It’s pretty obvious why Frum and his fellow minions focus on Rush, Palin and Jindal; they are NOT conservatives. Neither do they speak for conservatives. They are liberal plants sucking the water from the base.
I’ve read the arguments brought forth by these protagonists of the media and nothing they say makes sense to me. Just an a odd sense of overt jealousy and self loathing of what they, Rush, Palin and Jindal, have, they can never achieve or understand the meaning of. (Fragment)
But they betray themselves. By calling attention to the message, disparaging the messenger, they expose themselves as who they are.
Liberals, disguised as conservatives.
Kini on March 9, 2009 at 4:35 AM
.
Non-fanatics such as yourself, are cordially invited to subscribe to Rush’s dittocam and newsletter, but you would still have to carefully listen, and constructively cogitate upon his political show prep. That is, if you truly desire to comprehend the dittoific “devotion” of his mega-audience. I suspect though, that all you’ll be capable of actualizing, is “blowing your own mind”–well that, and blowin smoke up Madison’s kiltie… :~)
.
Just maybe though, in addition to internalizing MaHaRushdi’s spritually meditative EIB political insights, you’ll positively levitate when you hear Rushbo’s cerebral bumper music & Brother Paul Shanklin’s pulverizing parodies of Reverend Al Sharpton — not to mention the glorious array of extrafine quality products that the lovable lil fuzzball offers for sale to his special devotees. True, Allen Brothers Steaks don’t cost the $100 per pound that Obama’s Japanese steaks do, but they are home on the range, born n’ fed, in the good ol’USA!
.
Ohmmmmmmmm~~~I mean, Moooooooo~~~
.
“Let’s Roll”
On Watch on March 9, 2009 at 4:44 AM
-
He’s a mole… Or some other low belly critter with no vision.
-
RalphyBoy on March 9, 2009 at 5:00 AM
This is what Rahm and crew had in mind. By having conservative pundits commenting on Rush rather than on the Obama mistakes, it creates more breathing room for the Dems to expand government without having to fear the criticism.
dedalus on March 9, 2009 at 5:11 AM
RalphyBoy,
Maybe without my glasses…
“One of these dayyyyys, POW!!! right in the kisser”
Gohawgs on March 9, 2009 at 5:25 AM
If this continues to simmer, all it will do is get Rush to be really creative, and come up with a brilliant way to turn it back on them. See “Dingy” Harry Reid and the now famous letter that sold on ebay for $2.1 million, and Rush matched the bid price and donated $4.2 million to the MarineCorps Law Enforcement Foundation. The man donated 2 million bucks to a great cause in one shot, and was able to double it. Harry was made an a$$ in the process, and tried to take credit for the charity after the fact, furthering his humiliation. That was pure genius, and a win-win. If the White House keeps poking their big stick at him, they may not like how it ultimately turns out.
Brian1972 on March 9, 2009 at 5:33 AM
Frum, Parker and the other Ogabe a$$-suckers are serving as useful idiots in that they are keeping the focus on Rush instead of the big-eared freaks stumbling mismanagement of, well…everything. Simple misdirection. Obumbler is the David Blaine of politicians. Only his levitation bit is real. Believe me…I’ve seen it…honest.
SKYFOX on March 9, 2009 at 5:59 AM
Who is this Frum guy and why should I care?
CarolynM on March 9, 2009 at 6:06 AM
Frum got attacked because he told the truth. Conservatives today don’t want to be told the truth. They live in a make believe world where they think they are the majority. They believe that “purifying” the party will make it stronger, not realizing this will make it smaller.Conservatism today is turning into a cult with Jobba the Hut (Rush) as the cult reader. Go ahead, follow him right over a cliff.
athensboy on March 9, 2009 at 7:12 AM
there is no problem with the conservative movement. everything is awesome.
eh on March 9, 2009 at 7:17 AM
Butt-Boy!
Mark Garnett on March 9, 2009 at 7:29 AM
Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) has linked to an excellent takedown of Frum written by a blogger at copiousdissent.blogspot.com
Excerpt:
“Personally, I wish I could generate an audience simply by people hating my guts. But, that is David Frum’s entire shtick. He writes a book about how Conservatives “can win again” by abandoning Conservatism, and it is only read by 25,000 staunch Conservatives who think Frum is full of crap. The truth is that liberals don’t read Conservative political strategy books, Conservatives do. And Conservatives don’t think Frum is a Conservative.
Ironically, Frum is the one who calls Conservatives, the “say it louder” Republicans, claiming that the American public already heard about limited government, and they do not want it. Yet, Frum fails to realize that Conservatives are the only people in American who have read David Frum and they do not want what Frum offers either. So who is the “say it louder” minority? I think the evidence demonstrates it is Frum.
Even despite Frum’s whining, his most pathetic display is his recent Newsweek article where he had a chance to outline why Barack Obama’s policies are bad for the Country. Instead, he does nothing constructive except blast Rush Limbaugh and anyone who supports limited government. Then he turns around and claims that the Republican tent is shrinking.
David, until you can offer to bring the Republican Party more than 9 people into the tent, please leave before you burn the tent down.”
BigD on March 9, 2009 at 7:51 AM
Read it last night at Ace’s. He works magic with a keyboard under his fingertips. Same for you, AP, and I wish you’d write more often.
Dusty on March 9, 2009 at 7:53 AM
Didn’t Buckley call Gore Vidal a fag back in the day? If he had done it in this era, he would have been hounded ala Don Imus and Limbaugh.
Speedwagon82 on March 9, 2009 at 7:56 AM
[BigD on March 9, 2009 at 7:51 AM]
Saw that, too. It was one fine slapabout.
Dusty on March 9, 2009 at 7:56 AM
We can knock down that straw man right now. None of us believes that conservatism can survive as a movement without more converts. I listened to the Frum/Mark Levin exchange on Levin’s radio show the other night. Levin asked Frum straight out who the standard-bearer was for his brand of conservatism; Frum had no answer. We can point to leaders like Bobby Jindal who can carry forward with our values and our views on limited government. People like David Frum have no candidates. Frum is a naturalized American citizen, so he can’t run for president either. In that way, it’s somewhat convenient for him to be able to belittle conservatives from the cheap seats because he is legally unable to run for the office he says he wants to recapture for the GOP.
WV736 on March 9, 2009 at 8:00 AM
It is interesting that these worthless “pundits” feel the need to endlessly obsess about Rush Limbaugh vs. focusing on the endless mistakes Obama is making- I guess the payoff in attention is worth it to them.
anniekc on March 9, 2009 at 8:02 AM
It’s either a picture of Fred Savage or the guy from ‘Leave it to Beaver’. Can’t tell.
AubieJon on March 9, 2009 at 8:07 AM
NEWS FLASH: The Nation’s Cybersecurity Chair Quits
Homeland Security blames his “inability to adapt to the way business is done in Washington.”
maverick muse on March 9, 2009 at 8:08 AM
Rush’s “everyman” influence insults their elitist egos — to them, that he should be more influential than they are is an affront to elitism everywhere.
Sarah Palin’s popularity had the sam effect.
It’s sad, really, to see how they small they are inside.
BigD on March 9, 2009 at 8:10 AM
If they think of us at all it will be as evil sub-human savages, more or less the way we currently think of Nazi’s.
doriangrey on March 9, 2009 at 8:29 AM
[AubieJon on March 9, 2009 at 8:07 AM]
Leave Jerry Mathers (or Tony Dow) Alone!!!
Dusty on March 9, 2009 at 8:31 AM
In other words he refused to walk lock step with our new communist overlords.
doriangrey on March 9, 2009 at 8:34 AM
[AubieJon on March 9, 2009 at 8:07 AM]
PS You can pick on Lumpy Rutherford if you want.
Dusty on March 9, 2009 at 8:34 AM
That’s right. If you don’t think there’s a payoff in this for Frum somewhere now or down the road you’re hopelessly naive. The only reason a so-called conservative writer would be engaging in this invective is to assist the opposing party drive a wedge further into it as it fumbles to find true conservative leadership.
RepubChica on March 9, 2009 at 8:44 AM
Looking for attention this guy. Why are we giving it to him?
jeanie on March 9, 2009 at 9:19 AM
NOT a gratuituos cheap shot.
Ace is dead wrong here….Palin was the fracture point.
Her nomination cleaved the GOP along the IQ fault line.
She epiphanized the base into realizing their leadership has been stealthy elites just pretending to be Noble Yeoman Farmers all along, to scam their votes.
But like JTP famously said, “Palin is the Real-Deal”, actually one of them.
Unfortunately the GOP elite, the intelligentsia, were also epiphanized. They all saw on review, and upon Palin’s less than graceful performance in the public square, that she was not qualified for the job she was applying for…..to be President on Day One.
Palin was simply what the Founders would have called a demagogue.
Now only some of them (Brooks, Powell, Buckley, Parker, etc) have admitted that, and all of the admitters have been keelhauled under the hull of the SS Conservative Titanic.
So here is the paradox….the base has been taught to despise intellectuals, academics, and media elites through years of dog-whistle IQ baiting…but like Ruffini and Douthat and others have said the grassroots need elites and the elites need grassroots.
In the 21st century a Noble Yeoman Farmer is simply not capable of leading the country.
So to say Palin is not relevent (word up, Ace) to one of the profoundly unresolved problems of the GOP is just blowing more smoke up the base’s ass.
strangelet on March 9, 2009 at 9:21 AM
Geez- I must’a missed the Newsweek issue that had a gagged Olbermann on the cover gittin’ trashed by Libs.
Oh wait- LIBS DON’T TRASH THEIR OWN!
It’s just the ‘castrati’ of my PARTY that EATS OUR OWN.
Please all you ‘faux GOP elites’ if it’s TOO HARD FOR YOU TO HAMMER THE DEMS THEN just STFU! Please.
ExTex on March 9, 2009 at 9:29 AM
Not by herself at least…..she would need to surround herself with intellectuals and elites….however….Palin is on record as despising elites.
Tough to fill cabinet spots with the domain equivalents of Joe the Plumber and expect good results in the Age of Complexity.
Imagine….Bob the Busdriver as Secretary of Transportation….you get the idea.
strangelet on March 9, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Frum is a whore … he knew liberal paychecks and attention would be forthcoming.
What a loser.
ex-Democrat on March 9, 2009 at 10:21 AM
You have it completely backwards! It’s David Frum who has spent much of the past 9 years trying to purify the party. First it was the paleocons, now it’s Limbaugh. He’s a kiss ass that can’t stand the idea that he might not be relevant to the liberal establishment. His butt-buddy Richard Perle is doing the same thing: desperate to be loved and accepted, and thus denying everything he had to do with the Bush administration, the war in Iraq, and the war on terror.
Drum on March 9, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Agreed.
Drum on March 9, 2009 at 10:41 AM
You don’t get it. Rush has only become a net cost to the party because the establishment hates him and has demonized him. The average American hasn’t the leisure to look into a lot of what Rush says to see whether or not it lines with the truth. If they did, they would see that at least 75% of what he says is true. In the meantime, the media and the the powers in Congress and the Executive spend their time demonizing him, causing some listeners to wonder if in fact Rush is trouble to the party.
He is not. It’s pathetic what’s being done. Rush will come out just fine, the country on the other hand will have become European.
Drum on March 9, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Madison, again you like others don’t get it. It is David Frum (and others) who are saying that the tent is not big enough.
Google “David Frum paleoconservatives” and see what he did in the pages of National Review and elsewhere to try to rid the party of traditional conservatives.
It is he that is ruining the party by trying to make it smaller and more to his liking!
You might want to google “the stupid party” while you’re at it.
Drum on March 9, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Note to fake conservatives. Rush can’t destroy the country, unless he gets elected first. And since he’s not running, that’s not an issue. Now, it’s POSSIBLE that there is someone ELSE out there, who MIGHT be doing some stuff that actually COULD destroy our country. Why not look around for that person?
hawksruleva on March 9, 2009 at 11:02 AM
David Corn over at The Nation has published another hit piece on Limbaugh and the “far right.”
Tell me, is it not a little odd that David Frum has found common cause with communists at The Nation and has taken their side when it comes to defining Who and What is conservative?
Drum on March 9, 2009 at 11:08 AM
I find this whole thread pretty stupid. Giving any credence to a journalist that says he is conservative is just insane. There isn’t one conservative journalist anywhere in the US. There are a few columnists that are conservative, but that isn’t the same as being a journalist. NR is not a conservative magazine. No way. They try to sell themselves as that, but it doesn’t wash. If you are a Conservative you know that. In your heart of hearts you know that it isn’t a great source for Conservative info. Right this minute in history it is the radio that is the source of Conservataive action. That’s why Obama is trying to rub it out. I think it is time for Conservatives to “go Alinsky” on Frum, Noonan, Obama, and everyone of the idiots that are trying to take our country away and make the Constitution irrevelant. They are trying their best, now we have to do our best. So far I don’t think our best is getting us anywhere.
BetseyRoss on March 9, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Rush has had his best year ever. His 2008 forecasted advertisment revenues is about be surpassed this month! His listenership has increased to record levels.
Meanwhile, David Frum’s new website is declining in hits and he is fast becoming the laughingstock of the conservative movement. Noone takes him seriously anymore.
Norwegian on March 9, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Yeah, you’re right. It’s not Rush that I worry about — it’s what Frum and his ilk are continually trying to do to conservatism and what this says about where the country is headed. Frum, Perle, Noonan, Will, they are all establishment players and the establishment hates the average American. They are embarrassed by us. I don’t deny that those I just listed make good sense on occasion. But that is not the point. The point is that they are trying to rid the Republican Party of specific ideas and people.
Drum on March 9, 2009 at 11:44 AM
I know Frum was a speech writer for Bush who promptly wrote a tell all when he left. What else qualifies him to be a representative of any branch of conservative politics.
davod on March 9, 2009 at 5:33 PM
Frum is dim, dumb, and glum
Rush is right
Jamson64 on March 9, 2009 at 6:33 PM
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