Assassination

Never ever say anything that can be perceived as against Israel. Even if it makes sense. Lesson learned.

You'd think that at some point politicians, as well as the media who carry their stories, would figure out that conventional wisdom, group think, and tradition is how we got into this fine mess. While I understand the president is fighting on so many fronts that he might want to take a short break from all out war, I hope he remembers that ignoring conventional wisdom and Chuck Schumer is what got him elected.

Dee-Point well taken. The dems really seriously need to remember that the republicans screwed up their own chances by following idiot boy king george. Teh American public did not give them power because of their brillant political plays.

Schumer and the Republicans also opposed to Freeman may be in the wrong, but the bottom line is that this was another vetting failure by the White House.

http://www.political-buzz.com/

What can I say?
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When you're right, you're right, Joe Klein.

closed-mindedness, which is not a well-known Jewish tradition
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There's no polite way to say this, so:
You are talking about an ethnic group that forbids putting meat and cheese together.

Matt
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There was no vetting failure. There was a muthaphucking lynch mob after the guy. And he tore them a new ass hole too. Good on for him. If you want to see someone pissed off about these turn of events just go on over to Spencer Ackerman's blog and check out like the last 4 or 5 entries. And fyi Ackerman is also Jewish.
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http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/
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I also have a post up about this whole situation and I have to admit that I am pissed at every single Democrat who assisted in this railroading, most of all Chuck Schumer. It might be time for him to get the hell on. For those of you who didn't click on the link to Freeman's statement, trust me you are going to want to because he didn't pull any punches and he made clear exactly who was responsible for the smears and why they did it in his estimation.

Also, I agree with the rest of the post.

Thank you for covering this, Joe. Look forward to seeing it in the print edition!!!! (cough)

I suspect that Freeman has endured too many mindless crusades and vendettas to have patience with one at this point in his life. His statement is eloquent, to the point, and on the mark. He even inserts a little humor speaking of willing to endure the mental colonoscpy of a polygraph.
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Perhaps most telling is this: "These issues had little to do with the NIC and were not at the heart of what I hoped to contribute to the quality of analysis available to President Obama and his administration". The campaign was a pointless obstruction of an obviously gifted person who could have contributed greatly. I fully understand his position, wish him well, and hope that he uses some of his newly acquired free time to address the issues to which he refers.

OT: You know, Joe, I've been reading your stuff for years, and almost always thought it was well-argued, assuming you had information I did not, being somewhat of a neophyte out here myself. My reading of your work goes back maybe 15-20 years.

Then, you became a Joke Line for the leftie blogosphere, about the time I was figuring out that DC access, nor national media cred, didn't really have anything to do with being right, or smart, or even particularly well-informed given the amount and availability of information out there. I encouraged and defended you on this very blog (you could probably look it up, but this is a Corporate-run blog, so I'm not sure), because I always felt you had it right in your brain and heart were it not for your chronic (and former, IMO) insularity.

So I've been wondering, as you've become more and more strong in your published views over the last 2-3 years, if you have the personal insight to credit the two-way communication our new world has given us for what I consider at least a mild transformation?

I think it would be a fascinating piece for you to do on how "regular people," if you don't want to frame it in inflammatory "blogosphere" terms, have influenced your writing and thinking. I think you're a very good writer, and that you could move The Overton Window (! A blog term!) by doing so.

We've all seen it, as I'm sure you have in terms of the feedback you get. You've been much more reflective of the actual left/center position than you used to be. It's been gratifying to watch. Do your readers and writers deserve any credit?

I'm telling you, it could even be a book. But I don't think that would have as much impact as would a series of blog posts or even a single printed feature-length column.

Thank you for your work, and for moving a bit towards where most of us considered "left" are. (Not me, so much, in principle--I'm really a small government type but understand our policies for decades just don't allow for it now--I'm maybe small "L" libertarian.)

The middle has shifted. No serious conservative party in any other industrialized nation is running on a platform of making their own health care more like ours. To name one example.

And to get back on topic, this is all generated by my longstanding "sympathy" (the quotes are warranted) to your average non-militant Palestinian by way of your recent and this post on the topic.

Sincerely.

In the '30's, in the Soviet Union, those purged would cry,

"Papa, papa Joe, look what they are doing."

Does Papa Obama know what they are doing to Chas?

I do love how Obama is taking the heat for this when it was Blair's decision to invite Freeman on board.
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When Admiral Blair asked me to chair the NIC I responded that I understood he was “asking me to give my freedom of speech, my leisure, the greater part of my income, subject myself to the mental colonoscopy of a polygraph, and resume a daily commute to a job with long working hours and a daily ration of political abuse.” I added that I wondered “whether there wasn't some sort of downside to this offer.”
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It saddens me that someone with a great sense of humour has been drummed out. *sigh*

I wonder if a left of center celebrity had voiced desires to overthrow the US government....would that be a big deal? Hmmmmmmm.
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"Schumer should know that he has taken a scalp in the name of closed-mindedness, which is not a well-known Jewish tradition."
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Other well known Jewish traditions: hatred of chicken soup, Mexican food, love of Richard Wagner, weight lifting and camping. Oh, and very few religious holidays! Yup, those good ole open minded Israelis, so much like our own open minded white southern Christians.

I still think of Natalie Maines when I envision the archtypical hit job for failure to participate in groupthink. It just demonstrates again that censorship doesn't require government participation. The private sector is just as capable of suppressing ideas and enforcing conformity.

yutsano
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President Obama is taking the heat because he allowed this man to get smeared and didn't stand by him and instead of either investigating the allegations or simply ignoring them since the guy didn't need confirmation he caved to pressure and asked him to withdraw his name. I voted for Obama and I support him but this was a straight up b*tch move on his part. Whether he personally chose him or not he chose the guy, Dennis Blair, who chose him and should have stood behind Blair's judgement. Otherwise why not ask Blair to quit too? This was WEAKSAUCE plain and simple. And now the precedent has been set that if you smear somebody enough President Obama will back the phuck off and leave them out on a limb. Obama still has my support but that doesn't mean I am not going to hold him to a high standard and in every way imaginable he failed to live up to them with regards to Chas Freeman. Notice all the people gloating over him withdrawing aren't mentioning China or money from Saudi Arabia anymore. Now that they accomplished their mission they are stating their real reason for opposition, his statements on Israel. And thats what it was about from start to finish.

'The private sector is just as capable of suppressing ideas and enforcing conformity."
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Still give the edge to the coporate media in that department:
"McGraw-Hill Tells Kids: "Good Intentions Caused The Financial Crisis"
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/mcgraw-hill_tells_kids_good_intentions_caused_the_financial_crisis.php

sg, that is the first time I have seen you post less than glowing accounts of Obama. I am not so sure you are right on this. I tend to think that Freeman did this himself. Maybe will will find out in the next few days.

formerly
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Thats because I call it like I see it every single time. Maybe the only other time since the inauguration when I was dissappointed in President Obama was with some of the detainee decisions but even then I don't see it as some kind of major dissappointment like some people. When he does something stupid or wrong I am going to call it stupid or wrong. I don't really see how Freeman "did it to himself" but you are more than welcome to explain how he got the NeoCons to smear the hell out of him and then got some Democrats to back their play. I am willing to be convinced because from where I am sitting the man was attacked with lies and smears and the administration caved rather than stand by him precisely because it was the NeoCons driving the bus.

I guess I understand BHO not wanting to get into a war over Freeman, one can only fight so many battles, priorities, etc., BUT if that's the case and he didn't see this push back coming a mile away that's pretty poor.

sg, by did it to himself, I meant withdrew of his own volition. I am near his age, and know the feeling at that point in life. I am also hopeful that you are wrong because while I have not been entirely delighted with all done or not done by the administration, it would be a major low point to me for Obama to cave to the neocons and the publicity puppy Schumer. We'll see.

PNNTO
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But here is the rub, the guy didn't have to be confirmed. There was not fight to fight. He could have just as easily ignored it and guess what, nothing would have happened. But instead they evidently asked him to withdraw
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formerly, if you read Schumer's press release carefully he gives the definite impression that this was the White House's call not Freeman's. In point of fact Blair was on the Hill earlier today to testify to LIEberman et all that Freeman was the right choice and the issues being raised were a farce. Thats why I believe it was President Obama's call and why I feel like its straight bullsh*t.

BTW, the feeling at that point in life I refer to is, "I've paid the dues, walked the walk, don't need this crap, and stick it up your nose."

Obama has once again choked when it counted. Color me disappointed but not surprised.

BO, as usual, got it right as a political matter. He can do what he needs to do without Freeman. Freeman may have helped, but my guess is that Obama gets Freeman's perspective.

He gets most. It's why he's our only chance.