From the WSJ Opinion Archives

by JAMES TARANTO
Monday, October 29, 2007 1:51 P.M. EDT

The Education of Rochelle Reed
Rochelle Reed, an editor at the Tribune of San Luis Obispo, Calif., published an essay recently about her son's decision to join the Army. "This was definitely not the way things were supposed to turn out," Mrs. Reed writes:

Never in a million years did I imagine my son would join the Army. Nor did Evan. In high school, he'd hang up on recruiters who called the house. He'd blurt, "Get away from me!" to the ones who trawled the local hangouts. Our home was liberal Democrat and anti-war and now, at 21, he was a Michael Moore fan. The night before he left, he spent his time reading "Stupid White Men." . . .

When I tell people that Evan has joined the Army, their reactions are almost always the same: their faces freeze, they pause way too long, and then they say, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry for you." I hang my head and look mournful, accepting their sympathy for the worry that lives in me. But as it dawns on them that Evan wasn't drafted, as Vietnam still clings to my generation, their expressions become quizzical, then disbelieving. I know what they're thinking: Why in the world would any kid in his right mind choose to enlist when we're in the middle of a war? I begin telling them the story, desperate to assure them it wasn't arrogant patriotism or murderous blood lust that convinced him to join. What finally hooked him was a recruiter's comment that if he thought the country's role in Iraq was so screwed up, he should try to fix it.

Mrs. Reed's piece is sincere and candid, and our purpose in noting it is not to pick on her. But it is quite a window she provides into the "liberal Democrat and antiwar" subculture of which she is a part. Because of her family's politics, "never in a million years" did she think her son would join the military. The people she knows see his decision as a cause for sorrow, not pride. Mrs. Reed has to talk them out of the assumption that only "arrogant patriotism" (the adjective itself is telling) or "murderous bloodlust" would motivate someone to serve his country, that no "kid in his right mind" would do so.

Judging by Mrs. Reed's account, American liberals harbor a deep and invidious prejudice against the military--a prejudice Mrs. Reed herself is now overcoming, thanks to the bravery of her son.

A year ago, a famous liberal Democrat remarked, "You know, education--if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." Perhaps he didn't know any better. Rochelle Reed now does.

101 Ways to Abuse a Quote
The New York Times pioneered the journalistic technique known as dowdification, which consists of using ellipses to change the meaning of a quote. But there are other ways of misleading via quotation. One example appears in the lead editorial of today's Times, infelicitously titled "Trash Talking World War III":

America's allies and increasingly the American public are playing a ghoulish guessing game: Will President Bush manage to leave office without starting a war with Iran? Mr. Bush is eagerly feeding those anxieties. This month he raised the threat of "World War III" if Iran even figures out how to make a nuclear weapon.

This is not false, but it is misleading. Here is what the president actually said:

I believe that the Iranian--if Iran had a nuclear weapon, it would be a dangerous threat to world peace. But this--we got a leader in Iran who has announced that he wants to destroy Israel. So I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon. I take the threat of Iran with a nuclear weapon very seriously.

Even the Times editorial acknowledges that "the world should not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon," although the next word is "but," naturally. Over on the op-ed page, former Enron adviser Paul Krugman (in a column that seems highly derivative of Fareed Zakaria) invokes FDR to say we shouldn't worry our little heads about Iran:

In America's darkest hour, Franklin Delano Roosevelt urged the nation not to succumb to "nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror." But that was then.

Today, many of the men who hope to be the next president--including all of the candidates with a significant chance of receiving the Republican nomination--have made unreasoning, unjustified terror the centerpiece of their campaigns.

Krugman faults GOP front-runner Rudy Giuliani for "taking foreign policy advice from Norman Podhoretz," who urges an aggressive approach to the Iranian threat. Krugman argues that Iran isn't really much of a threat, and then argues that Iran is really much of a threat:

The claim that Iran is on the path to global domination is beyond ludicrous. Yes, the Iranian regime is a nasty piece of work in many ways, and it would be a bad thing if that regime acquired nuclear weapons. But let's have some perspective, please: we're talking about a country with roughly the G.D.P. of Connecticut, and a government whose military budget is roughly the same as Sweden's.

Meanwhile, the idea that bombing will bring the Iranian regime to its knees--and bombing is the only option, since we've run out of troops--is pure wishful thinking. Last year Israel tried to cripple Hezbollah with an air campaign, and ended up strengthening it instead. There's every reason to believe that an attack on Iran would produce the same result, with the added effects of endangering U.S. forces in Iraq and driving oil prices well into triple digits.

Krugman professes to believe that Iran would be more dangerous if attacked than if appeased. But he is doing exactly what he faults Podhoretz for doing--namely, appealing to fear in urging his favored policy option.

As for that FDR quote, it came from his First Inaugural Address--delivered in a dark hour, to be sure, but not a time of war. A few sentences later, FDR said, "In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things"--i.e., economics, something Krugman used to know something about.

Eight years later, America was attacked, and FDR sounded a lot like Norman Podhoretz:

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

When America was attacked again, 60 years after Pearl Harbor, not everyone thought it was a big deal. One observer wrote in January 2002: "I predict that in the years ahead Enron, not Sept. 11, will come to be seen as the greater turning point in U.S. society." We'll give you one guess as to which company that guy used to advise.

Invidious Interviews?
The Des Moines Register reports on the Hawkeye State's latest efforts in the battle against discrimination:

Gov. Chet Culver will sign an executive order today demanding the state fix its hiring practices that have been the target of racial discrimination complaints, a spokesman for the governor confirmed.

Two state commissioned reports released this year outlined problems in the state's hiring practices. Among the findings was the acknowledgment from at least three former white state managers who told investigators they believe blacks don't interview as well for jobs, which the report linked with illegal discriminatory hiring practices.

The other report showed that qualified minority applicants for state jobs were a third less likely to be interviewed than whites over the past three years. The greatest disparity was with blacks, who represent 6 percent of the qualified pool of applicants but who filled no more than 2.8 percent of the state's jobs.

So let's see if we have this straight. Job interviews are discriminatory because "blacks don't interview as well" as persons of pallor do, but not interviewing qualified minority applicants is discriminatory as well. Furthermore, the state can't replace interviews with aptitude tests, because those have a racially disparate impact and thus are illegal under the Civil Rights Act of 1991. Nor can it institute quotas to ensure that it hires enough minorities, because that would run afoul of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The only answer is to hire people completely at random--that is, hold a lottery among residents of Iowa and give state jobs to those whose names are drawn. To be truly fair, this lottery would have to include everyone, and service would be compulsory for the lucky winners. Some may find this proposal uncomfortably close to slavery, but isn't that a small price to pay for eradicating discrimination?

The Nescafé Presidency
The Concord (N.H.) Monitor reports on a hilarious pronouncement from the lovely and talented John Edwards:

Like other Democrats, Edwards named his top three priorities as ending the war in Iraq, enacting universal health care and overhauling the American energy system. "Those are three things instantly I would do," he said.

Instantly! Gosh, what's he going to do on Jan. 21? It's so cute the way Democrats complain that the president has too much power, but then imagine they would be omnipotent if elected.

Wannabe Athletes
With 372 days to go until the 2008 election, Democrats are already having problems in Florida, the Associated Press reports:

Nearly three thousand Democrats rallied around their top politicians and party leaders Saturday, but the biggest impression was made by who wasn't there: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and other presidential candidates.

The candidates skipped the convention to honor a pledge not to campaign in Florida because the state violated party rules by setting its primary date before Feb. 5.

Only Mike Gravel showed up. What caught our attention, though, was this clumsy metaphor:

On Saturday morning, Florida Democratic Party Chairman Karen Thurman took the stage to raucous applause as she sang along with a recording of Tom Petty: "I will stand my ground, and I won't back down." . . .

"The Republicans want you to believe that just because a few of our friends aren't joining us Florida Democrats are going to start voting Republican. Can you all believe that?," Thurman said as the crowd jeered. "I will put one of our all-stars up against their benchwarmers all day long."

Thurman must not know much about sports. That your all-stars can beat the other team's benchwarmers is nothing to boast about!

How Can They Compete With Giuliani?
"O'Keefe, Badker Vie to Be Manly Mayor"--headline, Globe Gazette (Mason City, Iowa), Oct. 29

We Blame Global Warming
"Palestinian Soccer Team Misses World Cup Qualifier, Blames Israel"--headline, Ha'aretz, Oct. 29

Somebody Stop Him!
"Ex-St. Paul Teacher Is Off to Workhouse for Sex With Teen"--headline, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), Oct. 26

They Wouldn't Be Starving if They Got Fed More Than Once a Year
"ALOC to Hold Annual Starving Artist Supper"--headline, Daily Times (Salisbury, Md.), Oct. 26

To Serve Man
"Miss England Told to Fatten Up"--headline, Associated Press, Oct. 26

When She's Done, She'll Read Another One
"Spears' Mother Plans Parenting Book"--headline, Reuters, Oct. 26

'Oh, I Love Trash'
"Oscar Snubs Many Good Foreign Films"--headline, Chicago Tribune, Oct. 26

Someone Set Up Us the Bomb
"Staph Screening Said May Wipe Out Germ"--headline, Associated Press, Oct. 26

Breaking News From 1799
"George Washington Euthanized on Track"--headline, Associated Press, Oct. 27

Breaking News From 1951
"First Lady Making History in Argentina"--headline, Associated Press, Oct. 29

News You Can Use

  • "Expert: NYC Perfect Environment for Unrested Souls"--headline, WCBS-TV web site (New York), Oct. 26

  • "Researchers: Staying Single and Chewing Gum Helps Shed Extra Pounds"--headline, FoxNews.com, Oct. 26

  • "Being a Condom Tester Is a Hard Job"--headline, Durex press release, Oct. 22

  • "102-Year-Old's Advice: Get Out of Bed Every Morning"--headline, Arizona Republic, Oct. 27

Bottom Stories of the Day

  • "Outed Spy: I'm Not Going Away"--headline, Associated Press, Oct. 28

  • "Ga. Rain Dance Draws Few Participants"--headline, Associated Press, Oct. 28

  • "Pacific Island of Tokelau Remains New Zealand Colony"--headline, Bloomberg, Oct. 26

  • "Protesters Call for End to Iraq War"--headline, Reuters, Oct. 27

Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out
Rep. Tom Tancredo, darling of the nativists, has announced that he will not seek re-election next year. He hasn't yet dropped his light-years-long-shot presidential bid, though a press release he issued last Wednesday suggests he is eager to do just that:

Presidential candidate Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) today issued a challenge to fellow candidate Gov. Mitt Romney today [sic].

"Governor Romney, I propose we make a bet on the World Series." Tancredo said. "I will agree to drop out of the race if the Red Sox win on the condition that you will agree to drop out if the Rockies win."

This comes a week after Tancredo challenged Romney to a trap shooting contest in New Hampshire, with the loser to drop out of the race.

Romney declined both bets. Last night Boston completed a four-game sweep of Colorado, erasing the three-year-old "curse of the Bambino."

As for Tancredo, we would remind him that there is only one race--the human race.

(Carol Muller helps compile Best of the Web Today. Thanks to David Downing, David Curtin, Howard Dupuis, Brian Rom, Byron Clark, Thomas Brueckner, Doug Wagner, Jonathan Kahan, Bob Noll, Evan Slatis, Rhonda Cisneros, Ethel Fenig, John Williamson, Dan Carter, Doug Black, Michael Stevens, George Struve, Bruce Goldman, Curt Schmidt, Jack Archer, Glen Smith, Jim Orheim, Keith Rayburn and Michael Segal. If you have a tip, write us at opinionjournal@wsj.com, and please include the URL.)

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