Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Joe Klein calls Glen Greenwald a "crazy, civil libertarian absolutist"

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
Becky72 Donating Member (457 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 10:26 AM
Original message
Joe Klein calls Glen Greenwald a "crazy, civil libertarian absolutist"
Edited on Sat Aug-22-09 10:35 AM by Becky72
Aimai of progressive No More Mister Nice blog, remembers an exchange he had last week with Time pundit Joe Klein:

Excerpt:

Or maybe they do. Yes, I guess they do. I was standing at the cookout minding my own business when Klein started pontificating for the rubes on how “surprising” and “shocking” it was that Grassley, of all people, should have come out and endorsed the “death panels” lie. I walked up and said “why are your surprised?” to which he, in best pundit debater fashion (never allow yourself to admit you were just posing!), shot back “who says I'm surprised?” I said “well, you did. You just started your lecture saying “Its surprising.”” Its not surprising, the republicans have nothing left to lose and nothing left to gain at this point outside of pleasing the crazy base and attacking Obama and the dems.”

We were off and running. He then said that its true the fringe republicans were “crazy” but perhaps no crazier than the “crazy left” under Bush. I thought he meant the “truthers” so I said “name me one person in congress or the Senate who was as crazy on any topic as these Republican senators and Congressmen who sign on to the birther and deather stuff are now?” Evading this question he said “well, Glenn Greenwald is crazy—he's a civil liberties absolutist.” Now, me, I come from a long line of civil liberties absolutists so I said “I admire Glenn Greenwald's work immensley but it must be very embarrassing for you, of course, because he's been eating your lunch for years.” (!) I think this must be something of a sore point for him. He began shrieking “Glenn Greenwald is EVIL! EVILl!..do you know what he did? He “sicced” his blog readers on my EDITOR and she was going through a DIVORCE at the time.” Really? I said, politely, that was very wrong, if it happened.
“We kept it very quiet” he said, backing off the claim of any real harm and, as a twofer, managing to imply that only those "in the know" had been kept informed.




Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
Vinnie From Indy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 10:33 AM
Response to Original message
1. Greenwald is a hundred times the writer that Klein is
I think that, and being called out on his lies, irritates Klein in regard to Greenwald.

Greenwald is always a great read. Klein, not so much.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
KittyWampus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 11:56 AM
Response to Reply #1
5. Greenwald wants readers and he knows what you want to hear.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
librechik Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 10:39 AM
Response to Original message
2. Joke Line is one of the least brainy and most untalented scribblers at TimeInc
Edited on Sat Aug-22-09 10:40 AM by librechik
and that's saying a lot. Time is staffed with nobody but sniveling cowards with a loose grasp on the truth. Glen is just on another level entirely than those tabloid whores. Especially the traitor Klein. A "media liberal" happily backstabbing Dems since 1996 (at least)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Jim Sagle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 11:22 AM
Response to Original message
3. Joke Line is a liberal every day except today, on every issue but THIS one.
Wash, rinse, and repeat often enough, and the rubes (that's us) eventually catch on.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
frazzled Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 11:44 AM
Response to Original message
4. When your 1st amendment client is uber-Nazi Matthew Hale ...
It's hard not to think of someone as a "civil liberties absolutist." (P.S. Mr. Hale is currently serving 40 years for trying to take out a contract on Judge Joan Lefkow's life; Greenwald didn't serve as his defense attorney in that case, although he verbally defended him when the charges were first filed).

Glenn Greenwald is indeed a libertarian. I remember his blog before he was well known or at Salon. It was pretty much a libertarian stronghold, among his readers.

I also bought Greenwald's first book, in which he claimed never to have had an interest in politics at all, and hadn't voted for president, before 9/11. Hokay.

Look, Joe Klein is certainly not "all that." But neither is Glenn Greenwald, really. I think he's a good writer, but he's got the zealotry of a convert, and I never trust that.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Vinnie From Indy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 01:26 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. The thing about Greenwald
The thing about Greenwald is that his work is actually strong enough to stand up to even the mildest scrutiny. It seems to me that his facts are usually correct. Klein's work is dishonest on it's face 90% of the time. I would welcome a debate here on DU about the honesty of the work produced by Greenwald v. Klein over the last eight years. In short, I am all about looking at the specific writings of both men to determine the fairness, accuracy and honesty of their work. Please feel free to offer any specific Greenwald columns that you feel reflect a zealotry of thought. I will be happy to gather columns by Klein that we can compare and contrast with Greenwald's work in regard to zealotry, fairness, accuracy and honesty.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu Oct 31st 2024, 06:40 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC