Durbin: The Big Four Coverage

New York Times: The Gray Lady’s reports are perfunctory and to the point. Actually, that’s a bit of a relief. Too bad all of its reports aren’t like that.

Washington Post: I was all set to rip into the Post when, minutes ago, I saw this.

It must have been a glitch, because I tried it again and got 33 results. The Post does indeed report that only two Republican senators have openly criticized Senator Durbin for his remarks and neither of them is Bill Frist or John McCain.

Los Angeles Times: No reports; only an op-ed by David Gelernter in which he excoriates Durbin. It’s on the editorial page, however, and embedded in a rant about general historical ignorance.

Chicago Tribune: Of course, the newspaper has the entire coverage regarding the controversial senator from its home state; or so it seems.

Reporting: None

Op-eds (some disguised as reporting):

• Jill Zuckerman stands by her man. Read before eating.
• John Kass tries to make light of the situation, if you can believe that.
• Eric Zorn:

But to cite the Nazis, the Soviet gulags and Pol Pot -- even for a very limited purpose -- is another.
Not because the analogy is wholly inapt and not illustrative.

But because it’s so easily twisted into a patently illogical and hysterical argument by opportunistic critics who seem deliberately obtuse when it comes to simple logic.

Yes, don’t call American military personnel ‘Nazis’ because it gives those crazy conservatives ammunition. The fact that it’s wrong, disgusting, slanderous and treasonous coming from a US senator has nothing to do with it. ::rolls eyes::

Overall grade: D-plus.

UPDATE: Welcome TownHall.com readers! And thanks to columnist Mary Katharine Ham for the link and the great column.

Comments

[Noble Eagle]

Remember when Wayne LaPierre of the NRA referred to ATF agents as "jack-booted thugs"? The MSM went ballistic. My how times have changed.

[aaronpacy]

Does anyone here think that Durbin's comments will entice people to take up arms against our troops? I've heard this from some people..but I don't get the connection.

[wayne]

One more comment on the reasons why I am so angry as to be flinging death wishes around: Back in 1992, the Clinton's and Gore's made a little trip to Japan.

Mrs. Gore had lunch on my boat (the USS Fife DD991) during her little sojourn on our little canoe one of her delightful staffers was overheard commenting to some reporter on her thoughts on military personel.

The comment relayed to me by one of the guys from my work center (who was still too much in shock to react) went something like this..."but you see, we need to do more to take care of the poor and downtrodden. Who cares about people in the military? They are just a bunch of people who are too lazy to get a real job"

Unfortunately, when this happened I was right in the process of changing over the watch and so when I heard about how Tipper's entourage was so beloved towards us lazy folks in the military, I no longer had my trusty .45 around to reeducate said a**clown via lead enema. From time to time I still regret having missed out on this opportunity.

Needless to say everyone who heard about it on my boat was furious beyond description, but we were warned not to tell anyone. Everybody could see the writing on the wall for how things would be under Hitlery and Company.

This is why I dread 2008 and why I hope that if that miserable &*^%$#!! gets elected, we can start CIVIL WAR II the next day. We are doomed either way and I'd rather go down fighting.

[Noble Eagle]

"Does anyone here think that Durbin's comments will entice people to take up arms against our troops?"

Actually, I think they're more likely to boost the morale of those who have already taken up arms against us. If they believe our resolve to wage this war is weakening, it is like seeing a light at the end of the tunnel to them. They are banking on a rerun of Somalia, Lebannon, Vietnam, etc.

[teal marie]

In order to get the acrid stench of this slander out of my thoughts, I packed ten care packages for our troops today. 8 more tomorrow. I can't undo the filthy cause Dick made, but I can show my respect and gratitude in spite of it.
Operation Gratitude makes it easy.
www.opgratitude.com
I've been too angry to comment. Now I feel better. A little.

[torchy]

Thank you for the tangible support you're sharing with our troops Miss Marie, mere words are no replacement for that. And don't you despair, the proof is in the doing and Durbin is 'doing in' himself and his partisans.

[teal marie]

Thank you, Torchy. It is a labor of love.

I hate cheese. Especially that partisan cheese. It stinks!