David Broder's Shameless Screed Against Harry Reid

[Hissyspit]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/26/broder-reid-2

David Broder’s Shameless Screed Against Harry Reid

The Washington Post’s David Broder today publishes a mean-spirited and factually inaccurate screed aimed at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). Titled “The Democrats’ Gonzales,” Broder uses the first two paragraphs to tar Reid as a “continuing embarrassment” whose “amateurish performance” is an “exhibition of ineptitude.”

Broder baselessly claims that a “long list of senators of both parties…are ready” for Reid’s supposed “exhibition of ineptitude to end.” Broder’s own paper offered a taste of this bipartisan frustration on Tuesday: “In a closed-door meeting, Reid acknowledged that he had a target on his back, and Democratic senators responded with a standing ovation.”

Broder criticizes Reid for making a series of supposed verbal “gaffes” — such as calling President Bush “a loser” — which Broder mocks as “displaced aggressiveness on the part of the onetime amateur boxer.” But despite Broder’s claim earlier this week that “every six weeks or so there’s another episode where has to apologize,” Broder’s most recent example of a “gaffe” is 16 months old.

Broder then turns to Reid’s “consequential” gaffe, that the war in Iraq “is lost” (a view Reid happens to share with the majority of Americans). To highlight Harry Reid’s “inept discussion” of Iraq, Broder quotes…Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY):

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[BOSSHOG]

1. Calling bush a LOSER, a verbal gaffe?

I have to chuckle ..

The war is lost. A gaffe? Dave must be taking after limbaugh in the world of comedy.

[KharmaTrain]

2. Atrios...Call On The White Courtesy Phone

Duncan is sure to have a field day with this one.

I've always thought Broder was a tool of "Conventional Wisdom"...the go-along/get along, cocktail weenie beltway set. I felt this way back in the Watergate days when this same "dean" was critical of that investigation as a political vendetta as well. But IRC, wasn't Broder howling about a blow job in the White House and how that had all but destroyed "political discourse"?

The good thing is this article once and for all flushes out this over-the-hill stenographer of the powerful.

[Robbien]

3. I would suggest sending an email of support to Harry Reid and cc David Broder

however Harry Reid doesn't have an email address.

so call and send a fax

Sen. Harry Reid
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: [phone] / Fax: [phone]



and let Broder know what you think

[e-mail]

[BlueManDude]

4. I smell a visit with Russert this Sunday?