Joe Klein Tries to Evolve

Jane is right.  Joe Klein is trying to make a career transition - he's writing a book on the arrogance and insularity of political consultants, and he's posting on the Huffington Post, or 'blogging' as the kids say.

I think it's going to be tough for Klein to move away from paper, where his audience can't talk back, to pixels, where not only can we talk back but we also have Google and other neat toys that make it harder to sneer with abandon.  But I think the real reason he's going to have a tough time is because there's less and less of a market for his self-delusional punditocracy, where you can rant about the left, fete Newt Gingrich, practically call for nukes to be used on Iran, and think of yourself as a liberal.

He's just so out of touch he doesn't even know what touching means.  Here's his 'clarification' of a remark he made on how the left hates America.

In his recent account of a breakfast book party at the home of Tina Brown and Harry Evans, Eric Alterman misquoted me slightly but significantly. What I actually said was "the hate America tendency of the [Democratic Party's] left wing" had made it harder for Democrats to challenge Republicans on foreign policy.

Joe Klein reminds me a lot of Joe Lieberman.  Both are men who cannot face what they have become, and so they turn inward, angry, petulant, and megalomaniacal.  The internet is not kind to these people, but then, they have caused a horrific amount of damage.



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Re: Joe Klein Tries to Grow..... (none / 0)

Can't take credit for this but.....

Klein is German for "small".

Make of that what you will.


by Pericles on Sun Apr 16, 2006 at 10:16:23 PM EST

Re: Joe Klein Tries to Evolve (none / 0)

"can't face what they've become"?

Matt, you really, really need to stop psychologizing, it's embarrassing to read, and damaging to your credibility and this blog's.

Lieberman and Klein know who they are, they know what they think, they are adults.   They are simply wrong.   And they exhibit shallow and ignorant thinking.   And they may both be narcissists, they seem to be pretty smug, but we don't know for sure, do we?   They may be sincere and just stupid.

Any speculation as to the makeup of their sense of self is really silly.   And gets us nowhere i.e. persuasion.  


by Andmoreagain on Sun Apr 16, 2006 at 10:31:01 PM EST

Re: Joe Klein Tries to Evolve (none / 0)

Why is is silly? I find your critique interesting because I don't understand why it's wrong to wonder why folks do what they do. It's speculation, but what's wrong with speculating? For example, peoeple speculate about Bush acting as he does because he is a dry alcoholic with father issues- is that also stupid?


by bruh21 on Sun Apr 16, 2006 at 10:35:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Joe Klein Tries to Evolve (none / 0)

"is that also stupid?"

Yes. It's speculation in any event; it's petty; and doesn't help us beat the guy.


by Charley on the MTA on Mon Apr 17, 2006 at 10:04:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Joe Klein Tries to Evolve (none / 0)

Actually yes it does. Understanding the psychology of your opponent is one of the first thing you need to know.


by bruh21 on Mon Apr 17, 2006 at 05:13:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Did Hear Stephanopolous Correctly ... (none / 0)

this morning? It sounded like he called Klein's contemplation of nuking Iran "insane."


Intrepid Liberal Journal
by Intrepid Liberal Journal on Sun Apr 16, 2006 at 10:33:33 PM EST

You heard correctly (none / 0)

Stephanopolous did call Klein's contemplation of nuking Iran insane. C & L has the video.


"Once in a while you get shown the light In the strangest of places if you look at it right"
by molly bloom on Mon Apr 17, 2006 at 07:45:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Joe Klein Tries to Evolve (none / 0)

He wrote a very entertaining book (Primary Colors), a great column on PA-10 a few weeks ago AND plenty of the points in his current book are right out of the "netroots" critique but I don't think all that many people care what Joe Klein says.  If you want insanity from a scary source listen to what Bill Kristol said on FOX.  Nobody in power cares about Klein.  They do care about Kristol, and that is scary.

In brief, Kristol said that Bush needs to take care of Iran before he leaves office and not leave it unresolved for the next President.


by howardpark on Sun Apr 16, 2006 at 11:20:04 PM EST

Klein had one big hit (none / 0)

Even the Bangles did more than Joe Klein.


by jcjcjc on Mon Apr 17, 2006 at 12:48:41 AM EST

Re: Joe Klein Tries to Evolve (none / 0)

is it possible there is an 'armstrong williams' going on here? maybe his clinton bashing made him recruitable?

apologies if this sounds nuts but he's been so aggressive at spouting such republican things lately... newt the great? iran and nukes. liberals left wing hate america. it suddenly made me wonder if he's getting paid for it. or should i go back to redoing the easter bonnet in tin foil.


by irene adler on Mon Apr 17, 2006 at 01:39:07 PM EST


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