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Believe It Or Not, He Gets Paid For This
Is there any dunce-level media analysis today from Stephen “Kid Dolomite” Spruiell, of the National Review’s Media Blog?
Oh. Hey, what’s this?
WaPo’s Priest on the Press and Military Secrecy
During a livechat today, the Washington Post’s Dana Priest took a question about whether the media would alert us to impending hostilities against Iran:
Portland, Ore.: In the runup to the Iraq war, the media was pretty good at telling us that the military was preparing for war. The administration said this was to face down Saddam Hussein and scare him into complying with U.N. inspections, but of course it was just to actually do the war. If the administration wants to go to war against Iran, will the press be able to judge the military “posture,” deployments, etc. and inform us again that we are preparing for another war? Or can the administration keep it more secret?
Dana Priest: They only thing they have a chance at keeping secret is some kind of air-only or small unit surgical strike. If involves many ground units, then that becomes much more problematic.
And indeed that’s true about judging posture and deployments, as we know from following the continuing US military buildup around Iran through sources such as this.
But apparently they aren’t covering this story at GameSpy, because Spruiell is all like, LOL u msm suxxors r stupid ;p
If the president launched a full-scale invasion of Iran, then yeah, I suppose it would be pretty hard to keep that out of the papers.
No, really: That’s the entire post. I swear I’m not leaving anything out. That’s his devastating rejoinder. He thinks he just got one up on Dana Priest. Really, you can go look.
Above: “Hi, I cover the media for a major conservative magazine.”
Honestly, it’s hard to make fun of Spruiell sometimes. It’s like you were just outside and saw a flying saucer go whistling overhead with “UFO” painted on it in big letters, and you whipped out your camera and took a picture of it.
And it’s like, okay, woohoo! I got a picture. But then it sinks in: An ordinary flying saucer, maybe someone will believe you. But who’d ever believe a photo of a flying saucer with “UFO” painted on it?
A LiveJournal-grade wingnut with a big “NRO” painted on him: It’s almost fiendishly clever.
ImJohnGalt said,
February 16, 2007 at 22:43
Hey, what happened to the Brad DeLong piece I was reading?
Marita said,
February 16, 2007 at 22:47
Well, at least in the new pic his feathered haircut is covered up.
Gavin M. said,
February 16, 2007 at 22:51
Hey, what happened to the Brad DeLong piece I was reading?
Oh crap, it got eaten. Is it back now?
ImJohnGalt said,
February 16, 2007 at 23:24
Yep. There it is.
Thanks.
Candy said,
February 16, 2007 at 23:51
Why isn’t this boy in Iraq? Does he offer an excuse?
Snag said,
February 16, 2007 at 23:54
He couldn’t pass the military’s psychological entrance exams. That’s why he’s writing for National Review.
His Grace said,
February 16, 2007 at 23:56
Look Candy, he’s fulfilling a vital function of stating the obvious. Such a thing is a keystone in the Republican war effort. Their current strategy, after all, seems to be losing is bad, thus we cannot lose.
Candy said,
February 16, 2007 at 23:57
Ah! That makes perfect sense, Snag. He’s not just a simple chickenhawk like the others. Even today’s Army won’t take him. A stinging indictment.
DUDACKATTACK!!! said,
February 16, 2007 at 23:59
Whatever kind of stuff that Stephen dropped or smoked all during his J-school stint, I would very much like to have some. There’s a lot of shit I would like to forget.
And what kind of tough guy image are these wingnuts trying to cultivate when they’re sporting moustaches that make them look like John Waters’ illegitimate offspring?
Candy said,
February 16, 2007 at 23:59
In other words, His Grace: “We suck… maybe we should try sucking harder!”
J— said,
February 17, 2007 at 0:10
And what kind of tough guy image are these wingnuts trying to cultivate when they’re sporting moustaches that make them look like John Waters’ illegitimate offspring?
It’s a John Bolton Solidaristache.
Willy said,
February 17, 2007 at 0:19
That ain’t a real picture of that dork, is it? I mean, it’s utterly humiliating.
Wearing a WWII helmet liner, got a framed photo of two dudes being hung, knives on the wall, wielding one with his scrawny arm.
I can’t get a read on his expression…is that ‘menace’ or ‘stupor’? Dude looks baked to me.
DUDACKATTACK!!! said,
February 17, 2007 at 0:19
J-
Oh. My. God.
“Be a man! Try to mimic the look belligerent diplomat!”
Candy said,
February 17, 2007 at 0:33
Oh.My.God. indeed.
Oh…my…
He’s serious! “Imitation of Bolton”
I don’t know whether to laugh, cry, or throw up. Maybe all three?
Marita said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:03
All three. Definitely all three.
Is he encouraging their women to grow a solidarity stache too, because I can think of some wingnut women who could totally pull it off. With thicker growth than he’s managed.
teh l4m3 said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:04
Why isn’t this boy in Iraq? Does he offer an excuse?
Seconded — has he ever given us his version of the “I’m not a chickenhawk” argument?
The Fucking Fury, Unleashed said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:09
You know, you really don’t need a big knife to get rid of a scrawny little molester mustache like that.
billy pilgrim said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:16
Snag, here’s what I read on your post above:
“He couldn’t pass the military’s proctological entrance exams. That’s why he’s writing for National Review.”
Of course, it all makes perfect sense, then.
J— said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:17
And the title of that moustache post, “A View from the Window of America’s Soul,” seems to have been drawn from an essay by Jack McCray. His “A Look through the Window of America’s Soul” forms part of the exhibit catalog for Confederate Currency: The Color of Money. From Hakim Abdul-Ali’s 9/25/2002 review of the book (scroll down):
National Review world headquarters: universal, elegant, sublime. Or maybe the post title refers to the moustache itself.
Stevo said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:37
It’s simple for US soldiers(or pretend soldiers like the guy in the photo) who want to avoid service in Iraq or Afghanistan. All they need to do is apply for a tranfer to the 178th Division of the Guantamo Torture Brigade.
kc said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:42
Is that really him in that pic? Bejus, what a tool.
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:53
Stevo, I’m sure he would absolutely adore a position with the Torture Brigade. I just get that vibe…
When someone with an expression like that gets on my bus, I hope he doesn’t sit near me, and if he does, I try to gauge whether or not he’s likely to become a problem…
Candy said,
February 17, 2007 at 1:55
Oops, I was channeling El Che on another thread… My bad.
Candy said,
February 17, 2007 at 4:39
I just saw Bolton flapping his gums on a Washington Week in Review clip. This boy’s stache has a loooooong way to go before he can sing, “I am the Walrus” with conviction.
Redleg said,
February 17, 2007 at 6:25
That fucker looks like he’s the prime age to serve in a combat arms branch in Iraq or Afghanistan. Hell, he’s already got the fightin’ knife- all he needs now are some cajones.
Redleg, Ph.D.
Former CPT, FA, USA
PR said,
February 17, 2007 at 22:00
That kid needs to wash his upper lip.
shutupstupid! said,
February 22, 2007 at 18:00
That picture has to be photo-shopped! No way someone looks that f@#%ing ridiculous!
What is trying to demonstrate with that bayonette? How he opens a can of Beanie-Weenies?
shutupstupid! said,
February 22, 2007 at 18:00
That picture has to be photo-shopped! No way someone looks that f@#%ing ridiculous!
What is he trying to demonstrate with that bayonette? How he opens a can of Beanie-Weenies?
shutupstupid! said,
February 22, 2007 at 18:01
F!!!! Double post.