Kevin Drum got the ball rolling the other day, seeking nominations for the worst blog posts of all time. After mulling it over for a few days, I have a few thoughts.
I should note from the outset that I like to think I have a decent memory, but I’m bound to forget some real doozies. Especially when it comes to my friends on the other side of the ideological spectrum, I read dozens of far-right blogs every day for one of my other gigs. On a typical afternoon, I probably say, “I can’t believe how insane this is” at least five times. After a few years of this, most of the truly offensive conservative posts blur together into one giant insult.
With that in mind, I have five nominations of unforgettable posts from the last year or so. In no particular order:
* Debbie Schlussel’s post on Barack Obama’s non-existent Islamic background: This would belong on the list for its unfounded accusations alone, but what makes this piece special was its closing sentence: “The facts about Obama’s Muslim background raise a LOT of questions… Anyone who does not want to look into the questions and, instead, attacks those who ask them, is equally suspect in their intentions and attitudes toward the continued freedom of this country.” Perfect.
* John Derbyshire’s post on the Virginia Tech shootings: The NRO writer expressed contempt for the victims of the massacre, because they didn’t try to physically confront the shooter. Indeed, Derbyshire expected those who feared for their lives to recognize that the madman was using a .22-caliber gun, which he said probably wouldn’t do “real damage.” Derbyshire’s thoughts were a special kind of stupid, combing a unique blend of blame-the-victim arrogance, Monday-morning quarterbacking, unearned machismo, and a breathtaking degree of callousness.
* Ann Althouse’s post on the Clinton campaign’s Sopranos parody: Freudian analysis taken to a comedic extreme. Onion rings are vaginas, carrots are penises, sliced carrots are attacks on penises, moisture on carrots are bodily fluids … it was the clearest example I’ve ever seen of a twisted right-wing imagination.
* John Hinderaker’s post after meeting Bush: After a White House meeting with the president, Power Line’s Hinderaker said Bush’s performance “may have been the best I’ve ever seen any politician.” The sycophantic praise was breathtaking — Bush surpassed Reagan in communication skills, he’s like a “big brother,” he’s strong enough to “withstand the Washington snake pit and deal with a daily barrage of hate from the ignorant left,” and he “derives real joy from the opportunity … to participate in the great pageant of American history.” Sweet Jeebus. There’s hero worship and then there’s this.
* Michelle Malkin’s “The Defeatocrats’ Cheer.” I still can’t believe it’s not a parody.
There’s some overlap between my list and Kevin’s, and John Cole has a few more to consider. If you had any “favorites” to add, I’m all ears.