Jonah Goldberg refuses to pay off bet

[kskiska]

Iraq Bet Stirs War of Words Between FAIR Founder and Jonah Goldberg

NEW YORK A 2005 Iraq bet has stirred a war of words today between conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg and the founder of a liberal media-watchdog group.

Goldberg wrote on Feb. 8, 2005: "I predict that Iraq won't have a civil war, that it will have a viable constitution, and that a majority of Iraqis and Americans will, in two years time, agree that the war was worth it. I'll bet $1,000 (which I can hardly spare right now)."

The Tribune Media Services columnist/National Review Online editor at large added in the piece that the USO would receive the money if he lost the wager, which was made in the context of a dispute Goldberg and "Informed Comment" blogger Juan Cole were having at the time.

"The two-year period comes due this Thursday," wrote Jeff Cohen, founder of the Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) media-watchdog group, in an AlterNet article today. "Even Goldberg now realizes his prediction was totally wrong -- with poll after poll showing most Americans do not 'agree that the war was worth it.' (Not to mention what Iraqis think of the war or Goldberg's boast that 'Iraq won't have a civil war.') So shouldn't Goldberg, or somebody, pay off the $1,000?"

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http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003542818

[tularetom]

1. Who could have predicted that?

But I'd forgive him if he enlisted and got his fat ass over to Iraq.

[zbdent]

20. What, that "Bias"ed Goldberg would be a cowardly cheat

who skips out on his bets?

[Faygo Kid]

2. Put his feet to the fire. Or some other part of his anatomy.

Geez, these right wingers are welchers. Mama Lucianne has beaucoup bucks, and Jonah seems just the type to live off Mama. So pay up, butthead.

[CatWoman]

3. like mother; like son

:hi:

[kskiska]

9. Hi, Cat!

:hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

[Cocoa]

4. he has until midnight

it could turn around before then.

[gratuitous]

7. Midnight Eastern or Pacific time?

Oooh baby, this is gonna be close! All Goldberg needs is a swing of about 25 percentage points in public opinion in the next nine hours or so.

[LiberalFighter]

19. Shouldn't it be where the event occurs? Baghdad Time?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Didn't they use to shoot people for welching on bets?

[kskiska]

14. Beau Brummel had to go into exile in France

for not being able to pay off his gambling debts.

[spanone]

6. He's a creep. Wouldn't take his money.

[Rebellious Republican]

8. Defeat is not in their vocabulary......

even while being pummeled profusely about the head with the facts.

:kick:

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

10. Jerry Falwell had to be sued in court to pay a public bet

and he was forced to pay it.

[hlthe2b]

11. Send him to Deadwood.... (the HBO version)

I dare say someone would deal with him!

[Kagemusha]

12. You should've mentioned more prominently Cole never accepted the bet

because it was beneath him.

I don't care that Jonah pays or not, but I do care that he demonstrate even the slightest bit of shame.

Fat chance, of course.

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

16. "because it was beneath him"

Juan Cole is a class act. His tracking of Iraqi politics should win a Pulitzer or a Nobel prize for sheer integrity and boundless intellectual energy. He backs up every word of his opinion with a staggering compendium of facts and contacts and a thorough understanding of the minutiae.

[Kagemusha]

18. I completely agree with everything you said...

Mr. Cole's a shining beacon of light in a Stygian abyss a lot of the time. It all starts with the willingness to actually know something about a subject, of course. Not just fake it and cheer louder.

[Cha]

13. Another nail in jonah goldberg's

blowhard coffin.

[karlrschneider]

15. Won't pay up? Wotta surprise. Hell, that asshole cheats at Solitaire.

...
:eyes:

[EdwardM]

17. Well it has a Constitution.

Don't feel sad cause 1 out of 3 ain't bad.