I'm sure Kevin from CalPundit a swell guy. From time to time I have read his articles and I even (infrequently) agree with some of them. If you want a trip into a bizarre-O land look beyond Kevin's writing and go straight to his comments section. WOW!

The only thing I can think of is that Indymedia is linking to him at various times. I must admit that it has calmed down in the last month or so from its BushHitler halcyon days.

I'm afraid the comments sections on almost all of the super-popular blogs get rather vitriolic.

Well, we still see the "Democrats == statist, communist, Saddam coddling, terrorist lovers" even in the more rational right (from time to time). :) The BushHitler meme seems almost tame by comparison.

Most Democrats do seem to have statist tendencies as evidenced by their desire for larger and more intrusive government.

Many Democrats still feel Alger Hiss got a raw deal, contrary to recently declassified Vernona information.

As the charge of "Saddam coddling", I really don't know of anything more the Democratic party could have done to aid him any further, other than shipping him weapons.

Terrorist lovers might be a bit strong, but when they ask dopey questions like "why do they hate us?" after 9-11, it did make them sound a bit weak on the subject.

But hey, what do I know. I'm just another brown shirt that wants to oppress. :)

Well that certainly clears up that matter, doesn't it.

Come to the dark side John! :)

I do agree that vitriolic mud-slinging is rarely productive.

Well, considering I voted for Reagan in '80 and then voted Libertarian in '84, one could say I've been there already. :)

You're very kind, Jim. And an interesting conservative as well, if I do say so myself. --B

I would add Michael Totten to such a list http://michaeltotten.com/

Democrats and Saddam.

In the first Gulf War, I waited to see if any Bush/Repub would apologize for arming the nutcase Saddam. I waited in Gulf War II for the same apology. We give him arms and then want to wipe him out -- both at taxpayer expense. Where's the admission Rumsfeld was wrong to shake his hand in the 80's? It's the Repubs who consistently backed Saddam. The Democrats always opposed the SOB.

Buck,

I should give Totten's site more of a looksee. I've seen his name bandied about but haven't been there much.

Thanks Bret!

Nice blog by the way.

and...

That was VERY funny John! :)

but when they ask dopey questions like "why do they hate us?" after 9-11, it did make them sound a bit weak on the subject.

you're fooling yourself if you think Bush and his people didn't ask that same question.

>As the charge of "Saddam coddling", I really don't know of anything more the Democratic party could have done to aid him any further, other than shipping him weapons.

Perhaps they could have increased his credits with the Commodity Credit Corporation from $500,000,000 to $1,000,000,000 after the gassing of the Kurds in Halabja - oops, that was George H. W. Bush. My source: Samantha Power´s A Problem From Hell.

I'm not sure how one can read Brad DeLong and not think that he is condescending.

Jimbo: truth is always stranger than fiction.

Jimbo,
I see, so if the Dems are Saddam-coddling because they did divers and sundry (though unnamed) things that fell short of sending arms to Saddam, what does that make Reagan?
That is, aside from a Savimbi-coddler, Suharto-coddler, Duvalier-coddler, Marcos-coddler, etc. etc. ad nauseum?
Do tell.

Brendan,

There was no bigger Saddam coddler in a high office than Ronald Reagan.

In a high office in the US, that is.

Piling on, I understand he was arming the Ayatollah as well as coddling Saddam. What can you say? The man loved to coddle...

Sort of the liberal Andrew Sullivan.

Sullivan is a ninny; his blog is oppresively smarmy, self-righteous, and monochromatic. Comparing TPM to Sullivan is a disservice to the former.

That said: I just found your blog via Calpundit and have enjoyed myself poking around. I added it to my daily reading list.

As a Calpundit commenter, I only have this to add:

:P

Realish,

Thanks!

I'm mainly comparing TPM to Sully in the sense that both are professional journalists who can thus write full time.

Realish,

Thanks!

I'm mainly comparing TPM to Sully in the sense that both are professional journalists who can thus write full time.