Arianna strikes again

[whometense]

As usual, a mixed bag, but some stuff that I hadn't heard before.

http://www.radaronline.com/magazine/features/2005/10/whose-party-is-it-anyway.php

Kerry-centric parts

The Democrats’ failure to mount a credible counterattack reflects a steady retrenchment by the party that dates from the Clinton years. Hillary Clinton has become increasingly hawkish in preparation for her own presidential run, while Clinton aides have made millions advising Democratic contenders how to navigate the new political realities, usually with disastrous results.

In 2002 the Clintonistas assured the Democrats that they could win the congressional elections by supporting the Iraq war and focusing on domestic issues. Instead the Democrats lost five seats in the House and two in the Senate. Two years later, when Kerry had finally gained traction in the campaign with a great speech against the war in Iraq — "wrong war, wrong place, wrong time" — the consulting geniuses made sure he pivoted back to the economy. Kerry’s loss in Ohio, which saw 237,000 jobs evaporate and 114,000 people lose their health insurance during the Bush years, underscored just how misguided they were. <...>

Tom Vallely, who co-founded Kerry’s "Truth and Trust Team" during the campaign, says, "I kept telling Shrum that before you walk through the economy door, you’re going to have to walk through the terrorism/Iraq door. But, unfortunately, the Clinton team, though technically skillful, could not see reality — they could only see their version of it."

I personally agree with her critique of Clintonian centrism. Then there's this part, which is clearly already out-of-date, incorrect, and typically Arianna-snotty:

"The Democratic Party silence on Iraq is another moment of a voice lost," says Andy Stern, the reformist president of the Service Employees International Union. Stern understands both the importance of boldness and the significance of national security for the future of the Democratic Party. "Faced with votes in favor of the war, the silence is deafening in Washington and the frustration is growing larger among voters. It’s time for us to ask the question: What is the exit strategy?"

The candidate who will emerge as the anti-Hillary will have to be clearly against the war.

Absent such a strategy, Democratic insiders are increasingly frustrated with Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Joe Biden, and all the other business-as-usual Democratic contenders for the 2008 presidential election who continue to support the war.

I don't think anyone here - or for that matter anyone who's been paying the remotest amount of attention - thinks Kerry belongs on that list.

[JI7]

1. once again showing she isn't paying attention to the real world

of what is going on but rather repeats big media whore crap.

she claimed Kerry voted for the bankruptcy bill in one of her appearances.

[_dynamicdems]

2. Never liked this woman.

Never will.

[whometense]

4. She is

such an opportunist. She's sort of like a political cool hunter. All glitz. No depth.

[Mass]

3. Obviously not, but what is surprising is that the rest of her criticism

is not that far-off.

I agree particularly with the criticism of Carville and Co about wanting to go back to economic issues and forget Iraq during the campaign. It was so frustrating.

I just wonder when this article was written. If it dates from mid-October, it is simply outdated (Kerry had not yet made his speech about Iraq and nobody in the Senate wanted to speak about Iraq).

[whometense]

5. It's a new article

in the Nov/Dec 2005 issue of Radar.

But who knows when she actually wrote it?

I agree too with the same criticism. That first part I put in bold drove me crazy too. Did anyone not know where Kerry stood on economic issues?? If so, they definitely were not listening at all. He needed to overcome the fear deficit.

[sandnsea]

7. I agree with that too

Maybe she thinks criticism is her only value.

[sandnsea]

6. headache

I skimmed through the Katrina part, and oy, head ache. Did she completely miss the many moments of Mary Landrieu's righteous indignation?? I'll have to take this one in doses. I'd like to read it because it's good to know where crazy Dem bashing comes from.

[whometense]

8. Was she out of the country?

She is the shallowest of critics. But every once in a while she hits the target. Sheer luck? Maybe.

There's also an incredibly snarky bit in the same issue of Radar about Chelsea Clinton's new "best pals" relationship with partygirl Tara Reid. Most amusing, but gossip, so I'll take the high road and not link. ;-)

[jenndar]

9. Moreover...

it's sad that she claims to be looking for anti-war leadership, but then snarks about the anti-Hillary candidate. You can't just base every argument on the premise that Hillary will be the candidate to beat in the primaries until the 2006 elections - which are much more important at this moment in time - have happened.

[LittleClarkie]

10. Definition of "conclusiion"

where a person got tired of thinking.

Like Kos, she has already drawn her conclusions. God forbid she should have to think on that subject again. Might make her brain hurt.