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The Current Crisis

Odious Conservatives

By on 4.1.10 @ 6:10AM

You know who they are — disparaging other conservatives to universal liberal approval.

WASHINGTON — A major proposition that I advance in a book that will be published later this month, After the Hangover: The Conservatives’ Road to Recovery, is that there exists an odious subgroup of conservatives who since the beginning of the conservative movement have made their way to prominence in the mainstream media by a cheap act. They disparage with great melodrama other conservatives. Liberals love it — and for a while love the disparagers. In the late 1990s Arianna Huffington exploited this instrument of self-promotion brazenly. For several years David Frum has been doing it haltingly, even timorously. However, in the last two weeks he has been pulling a Huffington with unusual boldness.

First he smeared Sean Hannity. Then he reproached conservative opponents of the Democrats’ healthcare monstrosity. Now he is claiming martyrdom at the hands of Arthur Brooks, the head of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) that housed him as a resident fellow for seven years, reportedly at a salary of $100,000 a year. Brooks was willing to let him stay on at AEI but without a salary. Very theatrically Frum(p) quit, and the Liberals pronounced him a great man. My thesis is again vindicated, and you will understand my satisfaction in reporting that in Hangover I have embalmed Frum(p) as a perfect example of the conservative hustler, manipulating Liberal approval. I call his type the Reformed Conservatives (RCs).

Of a sudden Frum(p) is in a mad rush to become the Arianna Huffington of the present moment. He smears Hannity, snipes at opponents of Obama care, and calumniates AEI. What will be his next move in pulling an Arianna? Perhaps he will find a rich Texan to marry and fleece of tens of millions of dollars so he can move to California and open a salon for Hollywood pinheads. Maybe he will even affect an unintelligible foreign accent — Dahling.

Frum(p)’s attack on Hannity was particularly galling to me for he sought legitimacy by dragging in The American Spectator. He cited an unedited entry on our website’s blog that was not only inadvertently published but also colossally inaccurate and misleading. Upon hearing of it I immediately ordered it removed and replaced with the following notice:

“Information regarding Freedom Alliance [a Hannity charity smeared by Frum(p)] that appeared earlier in this spot was inaccurate or misleading and has been removed. Any further mention of this material as having appeared in this post will either mention our disavowal or be deceiving to readers.”

In his original smear of Hannity, Frum(p) had not even verified the charges against him. He simply republished the rubbish, claiming the charges to be “credible.” Eventually he discovered the bogosity of the charges and acknowledged his error, but he has yet to note that AmSpec repudiated them too.

Since then he has rebuked Republicans for opposing Obamacare, claiming that they failed to negotiate with Democrats. This attracted the approval of White House flak Robert Gibbs. It also attracted the attention of a lead Wall Street Journal editorial that noted that Frum(p) “now makes his living as the media’s go-to basher of fellow Republicans.” In typical WSJ fashion the editorial then proceeded to cite the Democrats’ record of cutting the Republicans out of any possible bipartisan legislation.

Truth be known, Frum(p) is as much a hustler as Carlos Allen, the third gatecrasher at President Barack Obama’s state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Allen, you will recall, is the proprietor of something called HUSH [Help Us Support Humanity] Society, “an exclusive and luxurious private social club whose members enjoy unparalleled access to elite movers and shakers.” Maybe when Frum(p) moves to Hollywood and opens his salon he will found a similar establishment. It could be called “Comfort Station,” promising “an exclusive and luxurious private social club whose members enjoy unparalleled access to elite movers and shakers.”

With a little luck he might get Arianna to attend his Grand Opening after she helps him with his new continental accent — Dahling.

About the Author

R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. is the founder and editor in chief of The American Spectator. He is the author of The Death of Liberalism, published by Thomas Nelson Inc. His previous books include the New York Times bestseller Boy Clinton: the Political Biography; The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton; The Liberal Crack-Up; The Conservative Crack-Up; Public Nuisances; The Future that Doesn’t Work: Social Democracy’s Failure in Britain; Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House; The Clinton Crack-Up; and After the Hangover: The Conservatives’ Road to Recovery.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (289) |

drudge ette obama| 4.1.10 @ 6:17AM

So what does this paranormal gadfly do for a living? What kind of insect would share space with him?

patgig| 4.1.10 @ 11:59AM

Seems to me that the smeer on Hannity I saw everywhere started with the American Spectator and was attributed to them by all who reprinted it including Lucianne. Frum has never been a conservative, why is anyone surprised. Tyrrell threw the accusation Frum picked it up and accurately attributed it to Tyrrell.

Alan Brooks| 4.1.10 @ 12:33PM

You are wrong this time, Tyrrell. Hannity is no Geo. F. Will, Hannity is a rightwing demagogue who needs to be taken down a few notches. Here's another example of cutting someone down to size: though doctor shopping should not be illegal IMO, when Rush shopped around for extra oxycontin he was saying in effect, "rules are mwant to be broken if they are inconvenient to me." If a law or rule is minor, then break it, right? Feel like spitting on the sidewalk? go for it. Jaywalking? why not?
Urinate in an alleyway?
-- long as no one catches you.

Conservatives ought to do their own thing, babe. Freedom first, virtue later; who needs dinnity and decency when liberty is so much more funsville, like. Do as thou will!

Poppakap| 4.1.10 @ 9:42PM

...and you are a cryto-commie troll that should find another space to post your inanities.

Look, perhaps you didn't mean your non sequitur above due to intellectual limitations, but I guess not. You're also extra-topical to boot. But I digress...

Any time troglodytes of the Left drag out Rush's problem with prescription meds, we immediately know the Left is grasping at straws and has nothing else to add to the conversation. Especially since the issue is Frumpy's smearing of Sean Hannity.

So since you have taken a cheap shot at Rush when the current topic is not about him, and since you've taken another cheap shot at Hannity when he's only an indirect object (mentioned only to provide proof of Frumpy's transgressions), it seems fair to assume you are a world-class a**hole without the character or ability to engage in thoughtful debate or commentary. Full stop.

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 2:34AM

Rush became addicted to pain-killers because of excruciating pain due to a badly damaged back.
Only a sick and twisted demon would attack him for his suffering--or a liberal, same difference.

Pat| 4.2.10 @ 2:24AM

Frum was on NPR interview today.

At first I thought the weaselly voice was David Brooks. He stated - WRONGLY - that the Obamacare passage was the GOP waterloo, that they could have 'shaped' the bill, that repeal will never happen, and a ton of other whines against the GOP ... while praising the Democrats - for no good reason... this is a conservative?!? NO, its someone who logged too much time in the beltway and has drunk the DC bathwater. KULTURSMOG - as the brilliant RET has called it - has choked Frum's thinking. the comments and complaints MADE NO SENSE. He complained that the GOP let Obamacare happen because they didn't 'shape the bill' ... AS IF PELOSI WITH 250 DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE WOULD ALLOW ANY OF THAT.
He whined - falsely - about the shrillness of opposition to Obama, again - CONCEDING A LIBERAL NARRATIVE THAT IS BASED ON LIES.
Frum as far as I am concerned exposed himself as an intellectually bankrupt whiner. blaming the GOP for what the largest Democrat majority in Congress in a generation is foisting on this country was/is almost as bad as blaming a rape victim for wearing perfume.

carnot| 4.2.10 @ 8:21PM

sooo....getting to the heart of the matter...frum agrees that the bill is a bad one!!!!

Steve in MT| 4.4.10 @ 12:23AM

Why is it that when I think of Frum, I think of Sonderkommando?

KansasGirl| 4.1.10 @ 6:54AM

Never could stand the man.

Alan Brooks| 4.1.10 @ 12:42PM

"disparaging other conservatives to universal liberal approval.'

Here is your central flaw in this piece, Mr. Tyrrell:
a rightwinger is not necessarily a conservative.
David Duke is rightwing, but if he is actually conserving anything such is known only to his Maker and he. Pat Buchanan is rightwing, but whether he is conservative or not is an open question.

No one has to be conservative here-- but if you chronically can't decide between being conservative and being hard-rightist, then please someday plan to poop or get off the pot.

axbucxdu| 4.2.10 @ 12:04PM

" "disparaging other conservatives to universal liberal approval.'

Here is your central flaw in this piece, Mr. Tyrrell:
a rightwinger is not necessarily a conservative.
David Duke is rightwing, but if he is actually conserving anything such is known only to his Maker and he. Pat Buchanan is rightwing, but whether he is conservative or not is an open question. "

All depends upon the observer and his definitions.
So that i might better understand the comment above, perhaps you'd be willing to specify your specs re "conservative" and "rightwing"?

RET stated long ago that he considers the modern "conservative" to be another term for Classical Liberal.

Indeed, if all what we really desired was to "conserve" anything, then we'd be helping to sustain the state as it exists today. I find the term "conserving" used in this sense to be unacceptable.

Unfortunately, the statists have had their way for too long with "conservatives" serving only to slow this effort rather than reversing it. This point in history requires reaction not preservation of what is unconstitutional.

Therefore, i ask you, does that make me "rightwing"? Please advise.

Quartermaster| 4.2.10 @ 5:48PM

Note, however, that a Classical Liberal, e.g. Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, et.al, are considered extreme right-wing these days. The problem is that both major parties are left of center, with the center being defined as the founders defined it. A true right-winger is an anarchist. Libertarians are the only people truly on the right, and they are near the anarchist portion of the political spectrum.

axbucxdu| 4.3.10 @ 12:23AM

So given the failures of modern conservatives to practice what they preach, RET is justified in criticizing Frum, a supposed conservative who wishes to make things worse.

On the other hand, I and others like myself could do far worse than to associate with the ideas of extreme right wingers like Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, et al. and apparently according to Mr. Brooks- Pat Buchanan.

Looks to me like being right-wing is the right place to be.

Kenny| 4.1.10 @ 7:21AM

Bob,

Sometimes I think too much time is spent on insignificant turncoats like Frum(p), that sicko, Andrew Sullivan and David Brooks.

Who are they? Who do they influence?

On the other hand, Sean Hannity reaches tens of millions each week -- thank God. So a big part of Frum's problem is envy, pure and simple.

From here on out, ignore the loser. He does not matter a wit in the scheme of things.

Chalkdust| 4.1.10 @ 11:12AM

I couldn't agree more with Kenny. I think it's important to set the record stright in the face of most outright lies. However, trying to disarm smear bombs with logic and footnotes is like adding weight to a racing car...it just slows the car down and to what end? Hitting a progressive/liberal over the head with truth and logic will never convert a single one. Better to expend our effort on problem solving.

loulou| 4.1.10 @ 2:15PM

I ignore Frump, Snaggletooth Brooks and 'roid rage Sullivan.

Sullivan has an excuse, sort of. The HIV has gone to his brain. In the old days it would be called syphlitic dementia.

Damocles| 4.1.10 @ 5:33PM

You mean A. Sullivan has a rare, raging 'roid? It would be very appropriate, with the excitable character that is always on display.

SoCon| 4.2.10 @ 1:27AM

Brutal!

martin j smith| 4.1.10 @ 7:22AM

Time to call the Frums,Brooks out etc. They are D-Democrat Party--not Conservatives.

maximumrandb| 4.1.10 @ 9:22AM

While we're at it let's get rid of WaPo's Kathleen Parker too.

Citizen Jerry| 4.1.10 @ 10:04AM

Ditto for Peggy Noonan.

canuckistani| 4.1.10 @ 2:36PM

And then what? Elect Ted Nugent?
You haven't figured out that the world has passed you guys by and you better start running to catch up. If a 100% true-red conservative slate is elected to congress for the next 10 years, what exactly will be on the legislative docket? Cuts to Medicare? Doubt it, at least 51% love it. Cuts to Soc Sec? Same. Cuts to military? Ha! Cuts to DHS? Nope. Severing trade treaties with everybody? Not possible, and China will call in their marker that Bush 1 started 20 years ago. Will a cons congress agree to increase interest rates and slam the market for years to come to pay for this reneging? Not a chance. 2nd amendment? So what, affects no one of real consequence. Abortion? 51% want it legal in some form. Immigration? Unless you get your women pushing more patriots out, the society will rot with blue and white haired nostalia buffs unable to be productive.

When will you dreamers understand a true conservative platform is a losing platform in today's America? Gingrich almost had it in the 90's with a populist Clinton willing to throw everyone under the bus for a personal victory. The Dems will not make that mistake again.

Conservatism as a practical American winning ideology is dead for other than a short spurt of correction between progressive eras. The future is the focus. There has not been a WW2 to spur on our empire in the last 70 years. Bush 2 squandered the rallying cry of 9/11 as a way to pay off the corporate elite and settle old blood feuds between his weak daddy and Hussein. He pissed the conservative agenda away. He was the one, remember?
I don't like the policies of the left-dems, but open warfare on educated elites like Frum and Brooks and Noonan is typical of an adolescent faction purporting to be "real" Americans. I've heard nothing from the talking heads of the conservative movement that will advance America in a world that holds 95% of the population that is not American.
If Ryan is the guy, then hold his feet to the fire, but he needs the elite-right to write his story, because you will only alienate the general public if you do it with this venom and pap. Anger is not sustainable when Americans realize change is more difficult than the current. You better find another emotion to prey on.

KY3 Democrat| 4.1.10 @ 3:06PM

Well said, canuckistani..

When will the baggers realize that moderates and progressives want dialogue, not ideology, from the right. We've all got a country to run, fer god's sake, and the extreme right is sitting out in a sulk.

Heavy lifting is needed. Heavy lifting is being done the only party willing: The Democratic Party. Frum, Noonan, Brooks, Parker, others are the remnant of a once-great GOP.

By the way, Tyrrell, cheap shot in writing Frum's
name as Frum(p). That little shot indicates you're not in this game for anything other than spite. Next time, just spray-paint your opinions on a railroad boxcar.

Damocles| 4.1.10 @ 5:40PM

Your statement that the right is sitting out in a sulk, is so far from the truth, it shows your strong vein of Liberal-Progressivism (Fascism) rearing its ugly head.

Obama & Emanuelle froze the conservative politicians out of the healthcare debate. The 'Pubs let their opposite number know what they would support, but it wasn't what O wanted, so they locked them out of negotiations. To say they sat it out 'in a sulk,' does a huge disservice to all of the thinking americans who are aware of the truth, and it ain't how you say it is.

I think Frum(p) certainly deserves the moniker he's been bandaged with. It is just hard to take a 'p.'

Doctor Right| 4.1.10 @ 5:47PM

What's it like being a walking cliche' spouting the talking points of a dead, 19th-century philosophy (socialism)..?

Poppakap| 4.1.10 @ 9:49PM

Saying that the Left wants dialogue and not ideology is the single funniest thing I've heard today. April Fools, right?

The prime reason Congressional Commies passed the health care debacle (which will be repealed either legislatively or judicially) was because of ideology. They are so beholden to their failed ideology that they locked out citizens from town hall meetings, called them names, and otherwise ignored the input from constituents to the point of their majority being in peril.

So please, spare me the faux indignation. It's as transparent as Obama's teleprompter screen.

JimE| 4.1.10 @ 10:46PM

What's your point troll? Your baggers label renders you nothing more than a useful idiot. A name caller whining about name calling.

Nobummer| 4.2.10 @ 2:37AM

Must be the KY 'Jelly' Democrat troll. Loser.

PJ| 4.2.10 @ 2:28AM

"When will you dreamers understand a true conservative platform is a losing platform in today's America? "

Dear Liberal Moron,
OBAMA RAN IN 2008 ON GIVING 95% OF AMERICANS A TAX CUT.

And in 2010, voters will AGAIN vote for conservative candidates ONLY THIS TIME THEY KNOW WHICH PARTY TO AVOID.

It's the liberal/progressive brand that is rejected by 80% of Americans. And 80% of Americans CANT BE WRONG!

The 21st century will not be a socialist century. It failed in the 20th century and Big Government is failing now. So is the scam about Global warming - globaloney and lies.

Let's compare notes in December about who owns the future when Pelosi is a DEPOSED EX-SPEAKER.

canuckistani| 4.2.10 @ 9:05AM

I'll be clear, i believe in conservative fiscal values, the rest is just the fog small-brained opportunists throw up to con voters into thinking their values are the same.
As I stated, Gingrich almost had it right in the 90's. The 2000's rendition of the GOP congress was something else entirely. It was cashing in time, full stop, no other way to describe it.
The 2000's (or aughts(?)) should have been the decade the GOP used for hard choices. "We are at war, so we must support our troops with reduced social spending.....", "We are at war, so we must restructure the way money is raised for government to function.....". What did we do? Cut taxes for the rich, raised entitlements for drugs for seniors, seeded institutions with GOP hacks with no experience, and gang tackled our foreign policy with zionist neocons (Perle, Wolfie, Fleischer (a dual citizen!!) and corporatist thugs like Cheney and his cabal of freedom (not free of charge) fighters.
We deserved an ass-kicking, and I see nothing new from the current band of fools running the GOP today. It seems they are on some sort of kamikaze end-game where America as a brand has run out of time. I beg to differ, but race-baiting Obama rhetoric and talk of fascism is short-term thinking the public has tired of and only a small segment will actually mobilize to.
The REAL AMerica is in debt up to its eyeballs, state and city budgets (both red and blue) are a disaster and Medicare and SSec are running towards a wall a light speed. The best GOP has to offer? Raise the ret age for the young, reduce Medicare entitlements for the young etc. The real answer is CUT IT NOW! Seniors have to be told in blunt language, you did not invest enough in the last 40 years, so guess what? the cupboard is bare and you need to either accept a cut, or pony up more TODAY.
Military: $750B, and we have issues of body armor and dismal conditions at Walter Reid. SHAME! CUT EXOTIC SPENDING NOW! Shut down Germany and Japan and support our troops. Current GOP: silence.
I'll stop there, thanks for reading, I'll continue reading the dialog.

axbucxdu| 4.2.10 @ 12:24PM

I strongly agree and, Your welcome.

It also looks like we won't be getting any help from external events. I once was hopeful that arithmetic would ultimately curb the state's shenanigans. But I see now that they can monetize and reflate at will. All bets are off.

axbucxdu| 4.2.10 @ 12:26PM

Post above @canuckistani.

carnot| 4.2.10 @ 8:27PM

and you miss the point that the "progressives"...aren't the "producers"....and they aren't the ones manning the rails. comically, you are looking at conditions status quo ante....you aren't thinking out of the box. there are many avenues to undermining incipient fascism.

watch. and learn.

carnot| 4.2.10 @ 8:34PM

seniors and those on the way invested plenty you idiot. the system and its purposes have been mismanaged from day 1....that is the problem.

btw...you're also getting the equation wrong. myself and others contributed for a lifetime to SS and Medicare. if that contract is abrogated......then all bets are off. no one.....NO ONE....has to lie down and be rolled.

Pingback| 4.1.10 @ 7:25AM

Odious Conservatives links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…unparalleled access to elite movers and shakers." With a little luck he might get Arianna to attend his Grand Opening after she helps him with his new continental accent -- Dahling. The American Spectator : Odious Conservatives Reply With Quote   + Reply to Thread Quick Navigation Politics Top Site Areas Settings Private Messages Subscriptions Who's Online Search Forums Forums Home Forums Conservative…

Tim| 4.1.10 @ 7:36AM

Frum is a Canadian Neoconservative Weasel ,who needs to be purged by Real Conservatives.
The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates !

Tea Party Rallies Tax Day April 15th !

And 'We'll Remember In November !

Tim| 4.1.10 @ 11:24AM

Don't use "neoconservative" , it makes uss sound crazy, my precious.

KY3 Democrat| 4.1.10 @ 3:13PM

Tim,

If you want a purge, take a dose of salts.

Tim*| 4.2.10 @ 1:27AM

Other Tim Dude ,don't use " Precious " . It makes ya sound like an Interior Decorator.

Smitty| 4.2.10 @ 1:30AM

You sound like you know a lot about enemas, KY; do us a favor and go take another one.

Tim*| 4.2.10 @ 4:58PM

Make Me Ky3 Democrat Dweeb !

Mike| 4.1.10 @ 7:39AM

Auchtung right wing nuts!

Herr Tyrrell has issued your marching orders. Time to denigrate any conservative who shows a speck of thoughtfulness and balance.

Please start your idiotic rants. I am looking forward to the entertainment.

JimH| 4.1.10 @ 8:05AM

I first became aware of Frum and his true nature from warnings about him by Jerry Pournelle. Who Frum had attempted to read out of the Conservative movement some years ago. For those who don't know him Dr. Pournelle is a SF writer, engineer and polymath whou runs a great website at www.jerrypournelle.com

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 9:45AM

Jerry, of course, is totally insane. Brilliant and prescient, but utterly mad. That may be why I like him.

Paul| 4.1.10 @ 8:10AM

Regarding "thoughtfulness and balance", I've had a revelation, #:16 specifically:

"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

Chalkdust| 4.2.10 @ 3:09AM

#:16 is a keeper Paul.

Aitch748| 4.1.10 @ 8:16AM

Obvious troll is obvious.

Son Of Sam| 4.1.10 @ 8:32AM

sieg heil, you gutless, hate-filled ranting ObamaNazi asshole!

I have met David Frum, live and in person. I listened to what he had to say, and I have come to one inescapable conclusion:

DAVID FRUM IS NOT A CONSERVATIVE

You don't get to be a decent patriot who loves America just by saying "hey look,I'm a conservative". You have to actually walk the walk. You have to actually stand up for the Constitution,and stand against unlawful power grabs like ObamaCare, and amnesty for illegals.

back to your cesspool where you belong,mikey

stand strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 9:47AM

On the contrary, David Frum IS a conservative--just not an American conservative. As I said, he'd be right at home in conservative parties from Canada to Germany.

Mike| 4.1.10 @ 11:13AM

Son of Sam,

Is your real name David Berkowitz?

Son Of Sam| 4.1.10 @ 7:36PM

Hey jackass, is your real name Michelle?

Good GOD, how do you put your bra and panties on in the morning?

stand strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam

btw, you ratchet-jawed sawed off little bucket mouth, my name is Mr. Adams,and my Father's name is Samuel. Hence, Son Of Sam.

dumbass

Missy| 4.2.10 @ 1:32AM

Awesome! Smack the troll again for good measure, Son of Sam. Thanks for all you do.

carnot| 4.2.10 @ 8:37PM

nahhh....those types work for what was ACORN and the current fascist in chief.

Grzmlyk| 4.1.10 @ 8:39AM

Greetings, Comrade Mike, Whack Job Tool of Left Wing Oppression and Useful Idiot #341,566,719:

Uh, the article wasn't about a conservative who shows a speck of thoughtfulness or balance.

The article was about David Frum, an amoral, dishonest, opportunistic liberal.

Can't you phonies even recognize each other?

NavyBrat | 4.1.10 @ 8:50AM

"Greetings, Comrade Mike, Whack Job Tool of Left Wing Oppression and Useful Idiot #341,566,719:"

Grzmlyk, you never cease to put a smile on my face! Hillarious!

Mike| 4.1.10 @ 11:17AM

Greetings, Brown Shirt Grzmlyk, Whack Job Tool of Right Wing Delusion and Useful Idiot

The article denigrates a man who hasn't succumbed to right wing thought control.

Nick| 4.1.10 @ 11:35AM

Typical liberal.

Stealing the fruits of the productive.

Son Of Sam| 4.1.10 @ 7:42PM

Hey there Michelle,

At least we HAVE thought, as opposed to the hate-filled ranting you keep on farting out of your diaper.

stand strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam

pj| 4.2.10 @ 2:31AM

Liberals have to be told what to think. No brains, no originality, no nothing.

BUT THEY ARE GOOD AT STEALING.

Grzmlyk| 4.1.10 @ 12:38PM

Come on, Comrade Mike, Whack Job Tool of Left Wing Oppression and Useful Idiot #341,566,719.

That's exactly what Comrade Moe, Whack Job Tool of Left Wing Oppression and Useful Idiot #341,566,718 and Comrade Curley, Whack Job Tool of Left Wing Oppression and Useful Idiot 341,566,720 said.

Gee, you take the trouble to trudge over here at the behest of the mind-controlling pheromones emitted by the Daily Kos, and when you get here, ya got NOTHING.

Still, you must get a warm glow knowing you're a fungible cog in the great machinery of Leviathan.

Now might be a good time to recite the Talking Points Markos has taught you (everybody in unison, now!):

"I am not a sheep. I think for myself. I am unique. I am special. I am superior to conservatives because I CARE about others by supporting policies that force one group of people to give another group of people their money. That makes me GOOD." And if a little blows back my way, well, hey, you can't spell "fair without "I".

There. That's better,Comrade Mike, Whack Job Tool of Left Wing Oppression and Useful Idiot #341,566,719. NOW you really stand out from the crowd.

If you were here, I would certainly pat you on the head.

Margie| 4.1.10 @ 5:05PM

Fungible cog=magic mushroom #341,566,719.

NavyBrat | 4.1.10 @ 1:01PM

Gee Mike, just like good ole Joe Biden, you seem to like to lift quotes from others because you lack the intellect to come up with your own. Please, do continue to amuse us with more of your verbal flailings.

"Wise men speak when they have something to say; fools, because they must say something."...Plato

Thanks for illustrating the point, junior.

carnot| 4.2.10 @ 8:47PM

yawn.......a lumpenproletarian defends a fellow street cleaner while pressing to imaginary barricades.

Bilwick| 4.1.10 @ 8:42AM

"Time to denigrate any conservative who shows a speck of thoughtfulness and balance."

What Mike means is, "any conservative who doesn't value liberty all that much."

Melvin| 4.1.10 @ 9:35AM

Grasshopper. if you deem Conservatism as an idiotic rant, then what do you call yours?

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 9:44AM

When David Frum was getting his blog off the ground in 2008, he tried to recruit me to provide national defense coverage. He invited me to a meeting at his house with fellow conspirators to discuss organizing principles.

It quickly became clear that Frum's vision of the future was a Republican Party modeled on the New Tories and a host of European Christian Democratic parties. Frum is genuinely convinced that the welfare state is here to stay, that the people want more expansive government programs, and that economic issued drive elections.

It also became clear that, however long he has been in the United States, Frum really doesn't understand Americans and tends to mirror image from his Canadian background. He does not understand the extent to which Americans remain a religious people or how social and moral issues can be as important or more important than economic ones to people outside of the Beltway.

He doesn't have much respect for average middle Americans, but then, I don't think he actually knows many If he did, he might have anticipated the backlash against Obama and recognized the real factors that drove the elections of 2006-2008.

Anyway, I decided to take a pass on David's blog, and haven't regretted it for a moment. Apparently, it's read by liberals and a handful of other "reformed conservatives", so I doubt anyone would really miss me, anyway.

Eric Cartman| 4.1.10 @ 10:21AM

To me, Frum has beady eyes when I see him on TV. Doe he in real life? Never trust a man with beady eyes. Or a little ferret face, like Olbermann.

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 10:55AM

No. He's a perfectly pleasant fellow, with a nice wife and kids, a big, friendly dog and someone you wouldn't mind having for a neighbor. I just don't agree with his politics. But, if I made that the defining criteria for friendship, I would have very few friends, indeed.

We are not liberals. The political is not personal, and the personal is not political.

Eric Cartman| 4.1.10 @ 1:37PM

Could be my TV. Still have the old Sony Trinatron - guess I need an upgrade ;-)

Ken| 4.1.10 @ 3:26PM

He may be "pleasant" when you meet him, but he is not a good man. His willingness to lie about others proves that.

SoCon| 4.2.10 @ 1:35AM

I agree. Frum is a fat-faced, back-stabbing fancy boy. Good riddance to RINO trash--Canadian at that!

Tim| 4.1.10 @ 11:27AM

Careful, Mike will call you a Nazi.

Grzmlyk| 4.1.10 @ 2:30PM

Hi Stuart:

Thank you for the unique insights. It's very instructive, given your unique perspective.

But you just have to wonder about people like Frum, who believe that European Social Democracies are the way to go. It is suicide by sclerosis. He is right that it's inevitable that republics of all stripes are destined for this fate (the people vote themselves goodies until economic collapse is inevitable, just like the lab rat who continues to press the button for cocaine until he is dead), but why condone and abet it?

That's what Buckley meant, I think, when he said his purpose was to stand athwart history and yell "STOP!"

If Frum believes the welfare state is here to stay and so he goes along with the zeitgeist, that means he's simply exploiting something he knows is not viable in the long term for personal gain, and that's immoral.

As for your comment below, I struggle every day with many friends who are liberals. Sure, they might be hail-fellow-well-met, neighborly types. They may not beat their wives. They may strive to be decent, as they define it.

But isn't every person who voted for Obama partially responsible for the tyranny that has usurped our country?

My best friend from high school turned from being a pretty solid conservative to an Obama Kool-Aid drinker.

I'm struggling with how to deal with him. I love the guy, but he owns a 1/69,456,897th share in Treason.

It is hard for me to embrace those who are responsible for this corrupt, nihilistic abuse of the Constitution. Maybe we can forgive the callow fools (like Comrade Mike above), but intelligent, knowledgable adults - presumably that includes Frum - should know better. Or be better.

Ken | 4.1.10 @ 3:32PM

I don't necessarily agree that all republics have to go the European route. True, the ancient republics of Athens and Rome did, but they didn't have modern technology that could keep an economy growing indefinitely. Those republics were hurt as much by the depletion of their mines as by creeping socialism.

More to the point, though: there is nothing that says the decline of America has to begin NOW. It may well begin in 2350, and it may be that in 2200, at the peak of America's power, people will see the troubles of 2010 as a momentary blip. Things looked pretty bad in 1975, with stagflation and the fall of Saigon--but then we had the Reagan renaissance.

Grzmlyk| 4.1.10 @ 4:01PM

Well, Ken, your points are well made, and I certainly hope you are right.

My problem though, is that in the years since the last of the boomers became voters, the fickle "indpendents," by which elections are decided, tend to swing like a great pendulum from left to right; Carter followed Nixon/Ford (though this was not a conservative administration, it was perceived as such), Reagan followed Carter, Clinton followed Reagan/Bush, Bush II followed Clinton and now Obama has followed Bush II.

It was utterly predictable that the Dems would win after the divisive Bush years.

And every time the pendulum swings to the left, it goes further, so its subsequent reactionary swing back to the right a bit later never goes quite as far away from statism's new advancements as it was before.

So the "center" creeps inexorably leftward. Look at popular culture - its demonization of capitalism - and the radicalization of the entire Democrat party. The New York Times wasn't always insane. Now look at them. Hysterical, irresponsible propagandists without regard for the truth or objectivity - or even fact checking. This is not the party of JFK. (Yes, Fox News and sites like this certainly bite into the MSM's storyline, but I point out that Obama WAS elected several years after Fox News and the Web burst onto the scene.)

The left runs our education system as one monolithic propaganda mill, from Kindergarten through advanced degrees. It runs our entertainment structures (Avatar is a dumbed down parable for idiotic, mindless, feel-good leftism). It defines the cutting edge of "cool." Since we have been awash in wealth since the end of WWII, we have completely lost some of our survival instincts. Look at Europe's pathetic military structure - we've carried those toothless bastards since Berlin fell. And now Obama is licking his lips in anticipation of gutting our army - which is already compromised (remember General Casey's comment that the 13 lives lost at Fort Hood were a small price to pay in the pursuit of "diversity?")

We are the proverbial boiled frogs.

Additionally, in 1975, we were not under a wholesale takeover by the government. The bailout of Chrysler - which was tiny, and was a LOAN that was paid back quickly, was the subject of months of tenacious howling by traditionalists objecting to the unprecedented government intrusion. Today it wouldn't even make the evening news on CBS, and your average homeowner making $180,000 a year who's underwater with his mortgage is "too big" to fail.

Once you take over such a huge swath of the economy, it's very hard to unring the bell.

I think we should fight this tooth and nail, don't get me wrong. We MUST stand athwart history and yell, "stop."

But I do think 2010 will be seen as much more than a momentary blip. And unfortunately, I believe that entropy eventually will have its way.

But our focus must not be the persistence of human nature. Our focus has got to be to the ones yelling STOP. And I very much hope you are right!

Doorgunner| 4.1.10 @ 9:55AM

You could have at least looked at the cover of your U2 cd for a correct spelling of 'achtung', half-wit.

But, hey, thanks for yet another amusing confirmation of the intellectual quality of the typical Lefty bien-pensant everywhere.

tonypal| 4.1.10 @ 12:31PM

Since you've already got the idiocy covered, can we just rant?

Barney| 4.1.10 @ 1:12PM

So you suggest conservatives become like liberals. Either you tow the Pelosi/Reid/Obama line, or else!
No thanks Mr. Liberal Hitler! You and your ILK are hypocrites and traitors to American ideals and soon to be relegated to the sewer of history.

Your foul mouthed, degenerate, cowards that are not capable of, nor wanting to keep America free and prosperous. Liberalism is a sick, shallow, mindless ideology!

Some day you will have to explain to your grand kids why you and the rest of your moron buds, destroyed the greatest nation in history and made their lives such a burden.

Obama = ONE BIG ASS MISTAKE AMERICA!

Liberal = traitor

Ken| 4.1.10 @ 3:00PM

A significant number of Tea Partiers were WWII-Europe vets. They fought Nazis in the trenches of Anzio, the Normandy Beaches, and the Battle of the Bulge. Let me guess, your idea of "fighting Nazis" is knocking down an old lady at a GOP event. Typical leftist lowlife piece of dogshit.

Radegunda| 4.1.10 @ 7:29PM

I suppose you mean "balance" as per the formula followed by the dominant media (ABC, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, NYTimes etc.):

Democrats good. Republicans bad. Always.
Hope 'n Change, Hope 'n Change, rah, rah rah.
What? You're citing the actual health care legislation? That's raaaacist hatemongering!

That's the kind of thoughtfulness you mean, I'm sure.

Radegunda| 4.1.10 @ 7:33PM

Sorry, I intended to reply to Komrade Mike--for whom thoughtfulness means parroting Democrat talking points.

Poppakap| 4.1.10 @ 10:02PM

Auf Wiedersehen Crypto-Commie!

Herr Soros is so proud of you comrade. For your overwhelming devotion to the ComIntern, and your bravery in fighting the dreaded bourgoisie, a $3 credit will be added to your account balance at radicallyridiculous.com (we just love the .COM stuff) so you can continue the brave fight.

By the way, your party dues are dangerously late. Without immediate remittance, you will pay for your sins against the party in Siberia.

How's that for entertainment you tool? Since you can't debate the issues you toss off to ad hominems. So typical of the Left.

JimE| 4.1.10 @ 10:49PM

And obama has issued you your orders, cleanse his anus with your tonque.

Tim| 4.1.10 @ 7:57AM

Tell it to Commissar Obama , Comrade Mike ,The Clapping Monkey !

alice moore| 4.1.10 @ 8:27AM

David Frum like Kathleen Parker, Peggy Noonan, and David Brooks are Pet "Conservatives" to the Left. They are with the Republicans who Grow in office. They want to be invited to the cocktail parties of the Tina Browns and Kathleen Grahams.

Kathleen Parker and Peggy Noonan must have fancied themselves the beauties of the conservative movement or something like that. How else to explain their vitriolic hatred of Sarah Palin? Their photo bylines seem to be 30 years out of date.

For years these Pet Conservatives have been able to have their cake and eat it. No More.

Grzmlyk| 4.1.10 @ 8:52AM

And who can forget the sexually confused David Brock and the inestimable Scott McClellan? Scott bought the promises of become a darling of the Georgetown set hook, line and sinker. Poor, shabby philistine. Now he's the grill man at an undisclosed DC-area McDonalds.

Yes, Alice, it appears that in recent columns Ms. "Nooner" (Barack's pet name for her) forgot her many love letters to Obama's brilliance as a Healer and Uniter back in 2008 and early 2009. I thought she and Barack were gonna have to get a room. (If the man had an ounce of blood in his veins, they probably would have.)

Gradually, Peggy became shocked! Shocked! to discover he's not what he appeared to be and is, in fact, a tyrant.

But that was a month or so ago.

Now that he's scored a major political victory by transforming health care in America into a third-world fiefdom for myopic, craven bureaucrats, maybe Peggy can worm her way back into the cocktail party circuit by writing another schoolgirl's paean to His Greatness.

maximumrandb| 4.1.10 @ 9:26AM

You are correct, Alice Moore. Methinks there is a bit of jealously on the part of Ms. Noonan and Parker of Mrs. Palin's popularity and, please excuse me but I can't deny it, good looks.

loulou| 4.1.10 @ 2:22PM

Noonan used to be good looking years ago, I assume. Boy, does she work what she has left with her seductive gestures and posturing. Her problem is that she is in love with her clever prose and is, in fact, a crashing bore.

carnot| 4.2.10 @ 8:59PM

not exactly....smarmy...often unctuous....

none of these people...left and right...who speak about "America"...seem to understand how angry many are becoming. there is no "America". it is divided and will remain so for a long time. prediction: if Obama encounters a real crisis that demands a unified National response...it won't happen. he has already spent what moral authority he had. liberals....next 9/11? have at it!

Mike| 4.1.10 @ 11:19AM

Tim

The Clapping Monkey? No, the chimpy moniker belongs to Bush

Tim| 4.1.10 @ 11:29AM

There are many Tims but we all find you obnoxious...

Doorgunner| 4.1.10 @ 11:34AM

Oft-noted, simian behavior contains much mimcry. Witness the extension of the Patriot Act and most other war-related policy.

loulou| 4.1.10 @ 2:25PM

Uhhh, Mike, do you really thinks it is appropriate to be bringing up the words monkey and chimp at this point in our history?

Those words could be misinterpreted and certain associations could be made--so please be careful.

Howard| 4.1.10 @ 7:59AM

This being America (or whats left of it), I don't have a big problem with the likes of Frum, David brooks, and David Gergen. They are "house conservatives" allowed in from the plantation by the Mainstream Media. They are "light colored" representatives of the conservative world. But, they are not truly conservative, and shame on them if they sold their political souls in order to appear on Jim Lehrer.

JoshInHB| 4.1.10 @ 8:16AM

But, they are not truly conservative, and shame on them if they sold their political souls in order to appear on Jim Lehrer.

How else could those talentless hacks support themselves?
What's the harm if they can siphon money from the dying media by blathering nonsense that no reads anyway.

Bilwick| 4.1.10 @ 9:24AM

"This being America (or whats left of it), I don't have a big problem with the likes of Frum, David brooks, and David Gergen. They are "house conservatives" allowed in from the plantation by the Mainstream Media. They are 'light colored' representatives of the conservative world."

And they're not "uppity," like those conservatives who want to wreck the Plantation and insult Massa 'Bama.

I call them "Uncle Daves."

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.1.10 @ 8:00AM

Mike is a true patriot, folks.
Thank you for your service, Mike.


APRIL FOOLS! (GRIN)

Teflon93| 4.1.10 @ 8:53AM

Mike sure does know a lot of German for an "American"....

Mike| 4.1.10 @ 11:21AM

Teflon93

Seen the Tea Bagger signs?

loulou| 4.1.10 @ 2:27PM

Mike, you're the expert--what exactly does teabagger mean? I know it has something to do with Anderson Cooper and Barney Fwank but I'm still not clear.

Smitty| 4.2.10 @ 1:39AM

Mike's too busy fudge packing to read your post, loulou.

Teflon93| 4.2.10 @ 9:05AM

Tea Bagger signs?

Is that something they have at that moustache parade you attend?

stu| 4.1.10 @ 8:08AM

Mikey, Mikey you are SOOO clever, what with your snide little Nazi reference and of course your ever so clever invitation to begin the "idiotic rants". I hope this qualifies as entertainment for your enormous intellect: Liberal sheep like you have no problem denigrating the "thoughtful and balanced" in your ranks who have the temerity to not march in lockstep with the dnc and dear leader. The smallness of your smarm and condescension identifies you for what you are.
Now, f off

martin j smith| 4.1.10 @ 8:14AM

Mike take your anti-jewish, fascistic, intolerant, insubordinate, incipient, indescribable,insulated,incoherent garbage to the Huffington Post where you and your ilk belong

Mike| 4.1.10 @ 11:24AM

Martin,

Anti Jewish? No, Martin. You are the anti-semite. You hate the descendants of Abraham and Hagar. They're semites too.

Ken| 4.1.10 @ 3:02PM

Not only don't you read for comprehension, you apparently don't read, period. He said "anti-Jewish," not "antisemite."

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 1:42AM

Mike is the anti-Semite just like Obama & Co.--just look at the disgusting way the liberal morons treated Netanyahu last week. Bastards.

Katherine Lambert| 4.1.10 @ 8:28AM

You know as a simple conservative blogsphere reader out here in the hinterlands - I must say that I appreciate this missive. With that said I would like to say this - after seeing and half reading untold postings about David Scum on NReview's blog, Redstate etc. I just don't understand how you pundits and scribes that have a public forum to reach thousands of conservatives - waste so much time on this issue. I know that like Little Green Footballs turning back blue etc. these punditry infighting and defections mean ALOT to you guys at the top of the blogsphere heap but the subject means zilch to rest of us. May I say that most of us out here had David's number long before the punditry class did. We have been ignoring him for YEARS! I bet the readers of this blog and many others barely know his name although Sucker Carlson (another soon to be Judas Designate), Fred Barnes et. al do.

Please!!! We are in perilous times here folks!! Devote some ink to Paul Ryan, our new hero out here in the hinterland. Or Nikki Haley or many many of the great candidates running to be able to VOTE and not just opine on the horrendous bills that take away our freedoms.

I wish I had three million dollars like Tucker or Rush Limbaugh or any number of elite people who are supposedly "on the conservatives side and looking out for us" to spend on a website that IS PROACTIVE AND STRATEGIZES.

I am so so so so tired of everyone being a echo chamber that gets stirred up like a gaggle of crows every time Chris Matthews or Keith Olberman or David Scum says something - it is like the ugly kids obsessing over the popular kids in high school. ENOUGH! Lets get a life and a strategy and focus on what we can control - what is said by conservatives to conservatives and right now that should be fact based, real solutions that will influence REAL ELECTIONS in real time and nothing else. If the discussion is not about getting 45 new congressmen under Paul Ryan's new army to dispose Nancy Pelosi then it shouldn't be had by anyone that cares about conservatives and the constitution. Looking at the past with regret and the future with fear is the not Reagan or the American way. David Scum what he did, will do or might say is of so little IMPORT that it defies the imagination. You guys, that have been blessed with bully pulpits atop the Conservative Blogsphere should be exhibiting some real LEADERSHIP at this time. Michelle Malkin is always fact based and a little too much of a downer at times but has integrity and smarts. Paul Ryan is fantastic. John Thune has some potential. DeMint well......... do you NOT SEE! This is THE TIME to get serious!!!!! Get out of the beltway! Get into the real world of the jackboot of stalin and hitler will be upon our necks both pundit and readers alike.

Ken| 4.1.10 @ 3:23PM

The problem is that David Frum isn't as impotent as he seems. He has no influence over grassroots conservatives in the heartland, true, but he is a part of the Beltway media/political complex, and if he is the only one heard, his views will be seen as Conventional Wisdom.

Rush Limbaugh says something and 20 million people agree heartily and then go to work at the factory. David Frum says something and only a few people pay attention--but their names are McConnell, Cornyn, and Hatch.

Example: Pat Toomey, not a Buchanan Republican, but a standard-issue Reagan/Kemp type, challenged Specter in the GOP primaries for the 2010 elections for the Senate seat from Pennsylvania. Specter, who had defeated Toomey in 2004, was much less popular now and soon saw himself trailing Toomey badly and facing almost certain primary defeat. Specter cynically switched to the Democrat Party in order to have a chance at political survival.

Frum then jumped into the fray, condemning Toomey for "losing" the seat to the Democrats. (Notably, Frum did not engage Toomey on the issues. Frum never talks about issues. He always wants the GOP to moderate its stance, but never gives concrete arguments for doing so).

Guess what? Immediately, the National Senate Campaign Committee's two top leaders, Cornyn and Hatch, immediately followed Frum's lead and started openly trying to recruit Tom Ridge to run against Toomey. They knew damned well that Ridge would lose, either against Toomey or against Specter, but they weren't interested in winning the seat any more. Frum had invited them on the Hate Toomey Train, and they were determined to deny him a victory.

Fortunately, the GOP grassroots isn't as out of the loop as it was fifteen years ago. Pissed-off conservatives sent e-mails and phone calls to Cornyn and Hatch threatening to bolt the party if they didn't jump off the Hate Toomey Train immediately. They did, Ridge announced he wouldn't run, and now Toomey stands a good chance of beating Specter in the general election.

My point is that Frum has real influence with his Beltway friends, and that we need to let our voices against him be heard in order to counter that malevolent influence.

SoCon| 4.2.10 @ 1:47AM

Katherine and Ken--great posts! Please comment here much more often; your insight and leadership are invaluable.

Thank you so much.

axbucxdu| 4.3.10 @ 10:12AM

Pat Toomey was once the congressman for our district, swept in I believe with Newt's '94 express. He was one of the few Republicans that honored the term limit pledge.

So I found it odd that in 2004, the party was only too happy to let S.P.E.C.T.R.E. (w apologies to Dennis Miller) paint him as a deranged libertarian. And what did their support for snarlin' Arlen get them? Why another Democratic senate seat. Hilarious, but then not unexpected given the confusion at the top sewn by infiltraitors like Frum.

Alec| 4.1.10 @ 8:30AM

I still think that Mr. Frum was a bright, articulate, and entertaining voice, but I have long been troubled by what I deemed to be a serious character flaw. I think Mr. Frum's "martyrdom" simply illustrates that he who lives by the sword will die by the sword. As Mark Steyn wrote in NRO on "The Corner" -- "there's a strong sense of diminishing returns about these Frum flaps. David is becoming famous only for attacking fellow conservatives - Novak and Buchanan back in his end-to-evil days; then, Rush, Glenn, Sean and Sarah Palin; last weekend, it was Michelle Malkin for not mentioning his website by its name; and now AEI." Long before he smeared Limbaugh and Hannity, Mr. Frum was labeling conservatives whom he deemed to be insufficiently pro-Zionist as "anti-Semitic." He labelled long-time conservatives who "presumed" to question what they saw to be a very non-conservative (even Wilsonian) foreign policy, as "unpatriotic conservatives;" he insisted that they were to be excommunicated from conservatism. It really ought to surprise no one to see Mr. Frum get a taste of his own medicine.

Roy| 4.1.10 @ 9:38AM

I actually agree with this. By the standards of a lot of people here, I am a "Wilsonian" - but I believe in original sin, and I wouldn't have published a book called "An End to Evil" like David Frum did.

loulou| 4.1.10 @ 5:32PM

"David Frum says something and only a few people pay attention--but their names are McConnell, Cornyn, and Hatch."

Then Mc, C and H need to leave the party. They are essentially timid, small minded individuals and are doing more harm than good. If we listened to Cornyn/McConnell we'd be saddled with Crist, Scozzafava, McCain, etc. while he forces out good men like Jim Bunning.

Louis Jenkins| 4.1.10 @ 8:36AM

"I call his type the Reformed Conservatives (RCs). "

Ms. Lambert, you took the words out of my mouth. I'd call him Judas, not an RC. Unfortunately we have brigades of Judas types out there.

C Bowen| 4.1.10 @ 8:38AM

Or course, it was the American Spectator in the early nineties who gave Frum his start in denouncing the Buchanan campaign.

aware| 4.1.10 @ 8:53AM

Ouch! You had to bring that up! Many on the "Right" embraced Arianna at that time too, I recall. Proves that your enemy's enemy is NOT your friend.

For those who sneer when some of us use the word Neo-Con, Frum is a classic example. He proves they can be flushed from cover and exposed for the hypocritical statists they really are, if you try.
There are others...........

Roy| 4.1.10 @ 9:42AM

Whatever.

That distinction is nothing more than labelling people that you disagree with on something a "neocon" to the roaring cheers of the Daily Kos.

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 9:53AM

As someone once mentioned, Neo = Jewish, Con = conservative. All it takes to get labeled as one is to meet those two criteria. The authentic meaning of former liberals disgusted with the excesses of the New Left, and particularly its coddling of the Soviet Union, seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle.

I was never a Democrat, I was never a liberal, I'm not even Jewish anymore, yet because I believe in a robust foreign policy and support the right of the State of Israel to exist--you got it!--neocon I am labeled by people whose brand of conservatism went out the window with the America First movement (if not with the No Nothing Party).

aware| 4.1.10 @ 11:13AM

If you and Stuart below would only notice the key word in my post....STATIST.....Get it?????

Now go figure out how that is being "racist" or even more infantile, leftist. And Stuart "neo" means new, as in "new" conservative. Read a book sometime and turn off the TV.

Stuart Koehl| 4.2.10 @ 9:24AM

Probably time to change your screen name to "Clueless", since you show a marked lack of awareness.

And, inter alia, conservative does not necessarily equate to libertarian, even in the United States, where conservatism best equates with what Europeans call "Classic Liberalism". But, by its denigration of tradition and the organic institutions of society, and its radical individualism, libertarianism can hardly be called "conservative".

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 9:49AM

Well, Pat needs denouncing, early and often, lest people think that we're with him.

D Brock| 4.2.10 @ 2:37AM

Conservative media has given A LOT of talent a good start... some apples have gone bad, is all.
Exhibit A is David Brock.

Stuart Koehl| 4.2.10 @ 9:24AM

David Brock has talent? Gosh, I guess my kids are right and I DON'T know everything.

Derek Leaberry| 4.1.10 @ 8:43AM

Let us not forget that David Frum rose to prominence when American Spectator published his hatchet job on Pat Buchanan in 1991. Ancient history perhaps, but this is how David Frum was propelled to greater glory. By 2003 Frum was knifing paleo-conservatives in the back for not supporting Bush's Iraq escapade, to the delight of other subsets of conservatives. And now Frum has broadened his reach to all conservatives who does not approve his political slide to port. Conservatives should have known that Frum was bad stuff twenty years ago. One wonders why some conservatives are only now coming to understand David Frum's deleterious motives.

Teflon93| 4.1.10 @ 8:55AM

Buchanan had it coming.

But perhaps he was only seeking to be named Obama's ambassador to Israel....

Derek Leaberry| 4.1.10 @ 9:26AM

More than likely, Buchanan has been a leading conservative since before you were born, little man.

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 9:55AM

Depends on what you mean by "conservative". If xenophobia, anti-semitism, isolationism, and writing apologetics for both Hitler and Islamists qualifies, then I guess Pat is a conservative.

Alec| 4.1.10 @ 10:00AM

It would appear that you have gotten your talking points from David Frum.

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 10:56AM

Not at all. I simply read what Buchanan writes, subject it to my usual scathing historical criticism, and find it severely wanting. His book on World War II, for instance, was a waste of perfectly good trees.

Tim| 4.1.10 @ 11:33AM

"waste"? more like rape.

Derek Leaberry| 4.1.10 @ 12:47PM

You're assertions are dishonest.

Derek Leaberry| 4.1.10 @ 1:37PM

Upon research(easy to do as you are honest enough to post under your own name), it appears that you are in sympathy with the writings of Edward Luttwak, as am I. Yet it would appear that Luttwak's program is similar to Buchanan's. Both disdain ideologically pure free trade policies. Both want immigration limits. Both see iimits to hyperactive foreign policy. Both fear America becoming a Third World country. It was Luttwak, in his "The American Dream: How to Stop the United States From Becoming a Third World Country and How to Win the Geo-Political Struggle for Industrial Policy", who wrote about the American future in Buchananesque tones. Luttwak's work preceded Buchanan's "Death of the West", "The Great Betrayal", "Where the Right Went Wrong" and "Day of Reckoning." How to you square your views with Luttwak's or have you disowned Luttwak?

Stuart Koehl| 4.2.10 @ 7:27AM

Edward is my friend and mentor. That does not mean I have to agree with him on everything or get my marching orders from him. He taught me how to think about strategic problems and to question commonplace assumptions, so I do--even his. Even when I disagree with Edward, I always listen to what he has to say.

Needless to say, I did not agree with Edward's "turboeconomics" phase, though I did agree with his assessment that rapid globalization would cause large scale social disruption and displacement around the world that would have geopolitical ramifications. Niall Ferguson made much the same point in his book "The War of the World"--which I thought brilliant, even though I disagreed with most of its assessments of the Post-War world and projections of the future.

My friend Martin van Creveld approached that problem from the perspective of the displaced and disrupted, and how their geopolitical response would play out in the form of asymmetrical warfare. I thought his analysis brilliant but disagreed with his assessment that the terrorists and insurgents always win.

On the subject of American decline, I remain contrarian. I've heard it too often, and those who predict that the country is going down the drains usually do not understand what is called "American Exceptionalism"--the unique features that shape the American character, both individually and collectively, and why this makes the United States particularly resilient.

In the 1980s, Japan was supposed to eat our lunch, and our only hope was to copy Japanese industrial policy. Didn't work out that way.

Today, its supposed to be China, or perhaps India, or maybe Brazil or somebody else. But look at all of those countries closely and you find serious political, social and economic weaknesses that make it highly unlikely any of them will displace the United States atop the dung heap any time soon. China, in particular, is riven by internal inconsistencies so grave as to make the likelihood of collapse more than a 50-50 proposition--not that we don't have to maintain strong conventional forces to deter Chinese aggression until it either collapses or reforms itsel.

I'm eclectic. I believe that good ideas exist all over, and I am willing to cherry pick them and create my own synthesis. Being conservative means, paradoxically, not being wedded to complex intellectual constructs, but rather to a handful of broad, guiding principles. Conservatives are heuristic, and will use whatever works within the boundaries of those principles,

John Navratil| 4.2.10 @ 8:56AM

James Baker, III in a lecture at Rice University was asked about "Japan, Inc." and how we were about to be taken over. His pithy response was "Trees do not grow to the sky". Just a year or so later, Japan entered its lost decade.

Derek Leaberry| 4.2.10 @ 9:19AM

Thanks for your interesting reply.

Stuart Koehl| 4.2.10 @ 9:26AM

Quite welcome. I always reply to honest inquiries.

Missy| 4.2.10 @ 4:24PM

I believe our 'exceptionalism' is based on our country's covenant with God; if we break the covenant, American Exceptionalism would cease to exist.

John Navratil| 4.1.10 @ 10:05AM

Buchanan has been a leading conservative in his own mind. He is obviously of the right, but a xenophobe who wastes no time in telling that if you don't follow him you are damned.

You can have him.

Stuart Koehl| 4.1.10 @ 10:57AM

I would never deprive anyone of the pleasure. You take him, please.

Yellowhorse| 4.1.10 @ 8:50AM

To even spend 10 seconds of my time on this fake is a wasted 10 seconds. This is the last time I will read, think about, listen to or watch anything at all that has to do this fake conservative. From here on, he never was!

NavyBrat | 4.1.10 @ 8:55AM

David Frum: Not a has-been, but a NEVER WAS!!!

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."...Oscar Wilde

Please David, just go.

Teflon93| 4.1.10 @ 8:56AM

Seek out the audio of Mark Levin's head-to-head takedown of Frum on his radio show. The choicest bit is where he gets Frum to admit his latest book sold less than 5,000 copies.

Ned| 4.1.10 @ 8:57AM

Tea-Board him, then the truth will come out.

John Guardiano| 4.1.10 @ 9:30AM

Dear Mr. Tyrrell,
I understand your frustration with David Frum; but with all due respect, I think you are being very unfair to him. And the fact that David himself has sometimes been unfair to conservatives like Sean Hannitty doesn't make it right, I think, to be unfair to him.

I say, this moreover, as someone who is just as conservative as you -- and someone who has been a loyal American Spectator reader for many years and a modest Spectator contributor of more recent vintage.

I hope to respond in a separate standalone post to your criticism of David. However, a review of my recent posts @NewsReal Blog (see below) will begin to show why I think David has been unfairly maligned.

Re Hannity, I wrote a lengthy and detailed criticism of David; and David, to his great credit, published my criticism – of him – on his own website, FrumForum.

Frum Owes Hannity an Apology
http://bit.ly/9w2r6h

V/R
John Guardiano

In AEI vs. Frum, Follow the Money (or Lack Thereof)
http://bit.ly/btqNmR

P.S. Comments section only allows for two links; but I've read other entries @NewsReal Blog re AEI/David Frum.

Nick| 4.1.10 @ 12:09PM

Mr. Guardiano,

Instead of just simply asserting that Mr. Tyrrell was unfair, why don't you give some examples of this unfairness and explain the reasons they are unfair?

Not a link to Frum(p)'s website.
Did you do this just so he could see a 1000% increase in traffic?

conkat| 4.1.10 @ 9:33AM

Davie comes by his left-wingism by virtue of birth. His mommy , Barbra Frum was a lonng time liberal shill in Canada for the CBC (also a lonng time liberal shill). I, as a Canadian, was very surprised that Barb's little boy could be a conservative and now understand that of course he was merely a 'useful idiot' who is now revealing his true colors. (spit)...

Mattled| 4.1.10 @ 9:43AM

I like to call him David Frumunda-----like the old saying "Frumunda cheese".

Frumunda where?

Frumunda my b***s.

Ran / Si Vis Pacem | 4.1.10 @ 9:43AM

Mr Tyrrell,
Thanks, sir. Quibble: I'm not in the least convinced Frum is a conservative... certainly not in the libertarian-constitutionalist mold. What of Frum's penchant for centralized Government, his fondness for "environmental" controls, nationalized health-care, support of RINO's and his relentless attacks on those who support individual liberty and limited government? At some point we have to declare that someone who opposes libertarian values simply isn't conservative. Jonah Goldberg covered that somewhere...

@Teflon - Frum's book - "Blowback - Conservatism That Can Whine Again" sold in the neighborhood of 25,000 copies. Conservatives and Libertarians ignored it. How many of those sold-through from book store inventories into consumer's hands - well - never mind.

Ron Wallace| 4.1.10 @ 10:15AM

Kenny makes a good point. I think conservatives waste way too much time worrying about people like Frum and Brooks. Both American Spectator alumni by the way. While conservatives rally their energies against the Frums of the world, the Democrats, led by the odious Rahm Emanual, hand-picked moderate candidates, swept into Congress, and passed healthcare reform. Good luck repealing this in the next 5-10 years. And, conservatives are still wasting time worrying about RINOs ...

Missy| 4.2.10 @ 1:55AM

We ran a RINO in 2008 and lost to the Obumster, remember? That's why we're in this mess. We'd better worry about RINOs or we're wasting our time thinking we'll ever win again.

Americans won't and don't vote for democrat-lite when they can vote for the real thing.

axbucxdu| 4.4.10 @ 9:28PM

WE're in this mess since YOU ran a liberal spendthrift rather than an actual conservative in both 2000 and 2004 and WE voted for him on the basis of what could be worse. No more lesser of two evils calculus for me. I(WE) won't get fooled again.

Doctor Right| 4.1.10 @ 10:16AM

For one of the GREATEST Frum(p) moments of all time, follow this link and listen to Mark Levin take this fool to school on Levin's radio show (Frum(p) was angry at Levin, and also stupid enough to call into the show).

PRICELESS!

http://www.marklevinshow.com/A.....id=1432529

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 4.1.10 @ 10:32AM

For the sake of accuracy wouldn't that be deformed conservatives?

Heatpacker| 4.1.10 @ 11:52AM

Actually, it would be more accurate to call the likes of Frum, Brooks, et al metrosexual, psuedo-intellectual, opportunistic mercenaries.

DanH| 4.1.10 @ 5:20PM

But do they wear 'Mantyhose'?

Paul from SA| 4.1.10 @ 10:38AM

I will buy and read the book. Can't wait.

Frum is not a conservative.

Frum, David Brooks, Colin Powell, Megan McCain, Kathleen Parker, Peggy Noonan, ... are why I am not a Republican. If you or they want to change the definition of 'conservative,' and call thenm conservative, then I am not one.

When Michael Steele rids the party of those, GOP membership will rise.

Jason Edmunds| 4.1.10 @ 10:40AM

This is from Richard Vigilante, a former editor at National Review. It's posted by Maggie Gallagher on NRO:

"Judging motive is always a disaster. Even if one gets it right, the net effect is to allow one to dismiss the arguments of one’s opponent without engaging them. Judging motive shields the intellect from dissent. It makes people dumb.

When the critic gets the motive wrong, and obviously wrong, the whole thing just gets downright embarrassing. Despite Tunku’s “what I call a ‘polite-company conservative’” phrasing it’s not as if his charge was in any way original. We’ve heard the same argument for decades, applied not only to the two Davids, but to George Will, William Safire, even Bill Buckley (mentor to not only both Davids but me as well) or almost any conservative writer more influential, more famous, and more talented than the critics.

It sounds so plausible—unless you spend more than two seconds thinking about it. After two seconds you remember a few things. Like David Frum is roughly fifty years old, comfortably circumstanced, has a great career, is well-connected socially here and in Canada and DOES NOT EVER WANT TO BE INVITED TO ANOTHER COCKTAIL PARTY or at least not to one hosted by liberals showing off apostate conservatives.

Ditto David Brooks, George Will and the rest. They are famous and successful because they are enormously talented. They don’t suck up; they get sucked up to, an experience sadly denied to most of their critics. . .

Andy and I have known David Frum for almost 35 years (since Yale where we hung out with all the other elitist conservative conspirators who now run the world.) In all that time neither of us have ever seen any indication that David even a little bit craves the company or approval of liberals. Not to tell tales out of school, all the evidence in our extensive files suggests he doesn’t like them very much. In our experience his own dinner and cocktail parties are populated mostly by distinctly unfashionable but very bright people who don’t like liberals any more than David (or Danielle) do. (Or maybe we are just on their distinctly unfashionable but very bright list, which we could live with.)

David isn’t pretending to be anything, for anyone. He is today what he has been since he was seventeen: a gentle man of very conservative views, who is more inclined to seek agreement than argument. Unlike your humble authors he does not glory in conflict for its own sake. (This occasionally put us on different sides back at Skull and, oooops, I mean Yale. At least half the time, David was right.)

All the more honor then is due David for the times when he has not only gone to bloody battle but led the charge. Or are we confused? Was that Tunku what’s-his-name who stopped Harriet Miers cold when “real conservatives” like the leaders of the Federalist Society (also friends, also Yalies, also part of the conspiracy) were doing all they could to put a conservative hack on the Court."

Conservatives are really starting to crack-up to use RET's famous phrase. I love RET, but he's falling right into this trap. I see very bad things ahead for conservatives, including a disappointing mid-term. Hopefully, sanity will return, and this closing of the conservative mind will end. This absurd frenzy to purge Frum, Brooks, Noonan, etc. is really silly.

Heatpacker| 4.1.10 @ 12:15PM

I, for one, do not seek to purge them from the party. I would, however, ask them to show a little humility and recognize that they have no influence with the American people. Can it be more painfully obvious that these people don't care what the American people think? What they really care about is the respect of those whom they view as their peers. They love having a membership in the Washington Elitist Fraternity and don't want to be blackballed.
Yet, as they struggle to appear wise, thoughtful, and objective, they make themselves the tools of partisan liberals who laugh at them behind their backs.
It's very sad, really.

Nick| 4.1.10 @ 1:03PM

What a shock!

A friend of Frum(p)'s defends him.

Also, I don't remember Frumpy LEADING the charge against Harriet Miers.

To LEAD, one must have followers.

Mimi| 4.1.10 @ 1:26PM

FRUM -DEE- DUM.......Folks let it go! We must not just win in November (35 or under seats in the house is'nt going to cut it). We HAVE to totally overwhelm and anniliate this anti-freedom crew. To do this We need "ALL" the american people to march to the polls, TIMES ARE DIRE! Oh that middle you say. On a personal note: Iv'e had a houseful of kids and a houseful of their pals coming and going thru the years. Some went with me to the state capitol and even to GOV. Rockefellers mansion with pro-life signs. Later on it was " Doles too old". The middle is busy working, raising kids and watching soaps and Leno. Now recently only rarely do I get pontificate........But recently one said to me excitedly" Did you ever watch Glen Beck? You should! Wow the guy keeps a telephone right there to the whitehouse, and he said this, and he said that" I just smiled and said to myself: My how times are a changing" IMO we need to join up with anybody and everybody. We need to walk the streets in the inner city, go to the outer reaches of country folks whose republican/wives voted Hillary Clinton in as N.Y. senator. Believe me a lot of people do not have cable,internet or read newspapers. The LIBERTY ALARM-BELL must ring, LOUD, CLEAR , LONG and FAR!!!!!

Patrick M.| 4.2.10 @ 2:42AM

One can call someone a 'great talent' all day long, but when they smear people unnecessarily, make wrong calls, say unconservative things, they deserve the same criticism back that they dish to others.

The lack of humility and the lack of understanding that Frum is INSTIGATING the 'crack-up' with his fragging of the Republican and conservative movement, it's very galling.

As for ... "I see very bad things ahead for conservatives, including a disappointing mid-term." Then your vision is way too cloudy and wrong. ANother example of parroting a false liberal narrative.

Paul from SA| 4.1.10 @ 10:48AM

The problem is not that they exist and speak. The problem is they (David Frum, Brooks, Noonan, Parker, Powell) are OFFICIAL NATIONAL SPOKESMEN for the Republican party. When people see and hear them, they think all Republicans need to agree with them.

Jerry | 4.1.10 @ 10:52AM

Mike, needs the entertainment. The laundry in his mom's basement isn't finished yet, and SpongeBob doesn't start until after lunch.
Hush, Mikie, adults are speaking.

Mike| 4.1.10 @ 11:26AM

Hush, adults are speaking. Where?

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 1:58AM

How would you know, ass-clown? Who?

Petronius| 4.1.10 @ 10:53AM

You wasted a lot of space today Bob. You should have used it to blow to bits the fantucco who set Conservatism back 40 years, and bragged to Gerry Seib about it in the Wall St. Journal. His name is Gingrich.

Anthony| 4.1.10 @ 11:04AM

Sigh!! What is it about the faux conservative's psyche that requires the approbation of the Left?
Or should I really say,why do whores like Frum and Brooks so prostitute themselves? Are money and notarity really worth the shame?
I heard on Levin's show last night that McCain's ads against J.D. are really vile and low rent. This is the same Mr. Maverick, Straight Talk Express, who could not bring himself to even tepidly criticize Mr. Obama, as the very thought of doing so was, well, undignified.
Yes, we have Frum, Brooks, McCain and other RINOs to thank for our current situation.
Bilwick, I think you have it about right.

Pingback| 4.1.10 @ 11:08AM

Never Yet Melted » Conservatives Liberals Love links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

and a killer. It has never yet melted. — D.H. Lawrence « Not Just Rassmussen 01 Apr 2010 Conservatives Liberals Love Arianna Huffington, David Frum, Turncoat Conservative Pundits David Frum R. Emmett Tyrrell is not even a little sad that David Frum lost his job at AEI. A major proposition that I advance in a book that will be published later this month, After the Hangover: The Conservatives’ Road to…

james| 4.1.10 @ 11:41AM

Bob,
David Frum is not, never has been, and never shall be, a conservative. He's a liberal who is not insane, and by modern standards that is not quite being damned by faint praise, but almost.
Forget him, forget Chris Buckley, forget John McCain. They are not our friends.

james wilson| 4.1.10 @ 11:42AM

Mark Levin openly detests Frum.

Stuart Koehl| 4.2.10 @ 7:35AM

I get the impression that Mark Levin is much like Timon of Athens.

Seek| 4.1.10 @ 11:49AM

David Frum did not "smear" Sean Hannity. He merely criticized him. As well he should have. The evidence is clear that Hannity, at the very least, has been a good deal less than diligent (if not overtly corrupt) in overseeing the finances of nonprofit charity. Frum's main source for this, in fact, comes from a noted Detroit-area blogger well to right even of him and most other conservatives, Debbie Schlussel. (See www.debbieschlussel.com).

As an aside, I resent the manner in which modern political discourse uses the word "smear" as a stand-all term for "criticize." Bob Tyrrell, for all his virtues, has the fatal weakness: He just can't stand disloyalty from within the Right, upsetting the delicate applecart of consensus en route to power.

tonypal| 4.1.10 @ 12:34PM

You're a little behind on the news Seek. The whole point regarding Hannity and Frum is that the Schlussel piece was thoroughly discredited.

Tim Wilson| 4.1.10 @ 12:36PM

Very well said Seek. There's a difference between criticizing someone and smearing them. And, by his standard, Bob Tyrrell smears people everyday. I like RET, but I'm wondering if the plugs that Hannity does for the Spectator might be a factor here. Hannity, to my knowledge, hasn't said an interesting thing in his life. Strange that so many conservatives have it so bad for this guy.

Ryan| 4.1.10 @ 3:21PM

One, I'm not the biggest Hannity fan - I much prefer Bennett and Rush.

However, Hannity does the best interviews and his guests are more often more interesting than he is.

Absolute WORST callers though.

Nick| 4.1.10 @ 1:08PM

It was a SMEAR because it was NOT TRUE.

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 2:02AM

Seek's been on a bender if he doesn't know that the accusations against Hannity were completely discredited--or he's just another lying piece of garbage troll. You be the judge.

Seek| 4.2.10 @ 11:52AM

The "discredited" accusations by Debbie Schlussel -- and I have read all of them -- are simply too detailed to have been made up. I don't agree with everything Schlussel says, but I have little reason to doubt her on this one.

As an aside: I'd watch the epithets if I were you. Calling someone a "lying piece of garbage" without any evidence is a good way to make lots of enemies in this world. You don't want to make one out of me.

Stuart Koehl| 4.2.10 @ 12:26PM

Either you are lying, or your reading comprehension skills are far below average. I'll be charitable and guess the latter. Schlussel's chargers were effectively rebutted by the charity in question, and even Frum recanted--after the damage was done, of course.

David was just a tad too eager to latch onto a story that would allow him to knock someone he sees as just another perfidious populist polluting public discourse. He forgot that a story too good to be true probably is.

Nick| 4.2.10 @ 1:32PM

"You don't want to make one out of me."

What are you going to do, Seek?
Type harder on your keyboard?

Stop spreading lies and calumnies.
If there was anything to these lies, don't you think Keith Olbermann-child, and the rest of the MSNBC stooges, would be all over it?

Try using the brain the Good Lord gave you.

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 4:30PM

Threats to shut down opinion! Who do you think you are? Obama?

"Type harder on your keyboard" Hahaha!
I think God was taking a break when it was Seek's turn for a brain, Nick.

JimP| 4.1.10 @ 11:49AM

It is an interesting fact that most of the 'Odious Repubs' (Frum, Brooks, Noonan, Huffington) are foreign born and/or New Yorkers. 'Oy vey, y'all', as we say south of the Mason-Dixon. This Southern boy thinks there is more than mere coincidence here.

Brian B| 4.1.10 @ 11:54AM

The reason Frum is so corrosive is not that he is a RINO or a liberal or that he disagrees with conservatives. It's that he far too often questions other conservative's motives, intelligence, good faith and how they appear to the vast unwashed American middle (as though he has some special insight on that) rather than their ideas.
There are many moderate and even liberal Republicans who disagree quite strongly with mainstream conservative thought who are well accepted in "the movement" because they only engage on ideas.
That Mr. Frum doesn't and then plays the martyr is the reason he is so repellant.

JimP| 4.1.10 @ 12:10PM

Brian: Please name these folks. I would like to know who they are so as to beware.

Thanks.

Tim Wilson| 4.1.10 @ 12:37PM

This is a fair point. Frum's take down of Limbaugh was a real cheap shot.

???| 4.1.10 @ 11:59AM

Interesting piece., Bob. You basically whine about Frum posting an erroneous piece on his blog that had already been posted on YOUR blog. Nice try at saving face.

Siegfried X| 4.1.10 @ 12:09PM

David Frum never was a conservative. He is a "neo-con" which means "Democrat-except-for-one-issue".

The first generation neo-cons were card-carrying Democrats who left that party and became Republican in order to fight communism. Frum is a second-generation neo-con, someone who agrees with Democrats on most issues except neo-cons want a military war against all Islam.

Some ne0-cons like Joe Lieberman never left the Democratic Party at all. All of them agree with the Democrats on most issues.

aware| 4.1.10 @ 12:36PM

You'll soon be labeled for that comment. Wait and see. And for speaking the truth.
Don't you understand we must keep a Cold War military no matter how post Cold War it is? A sledge hammer comes in handy for swatting gnats.

Ryan| 4.1.10 @ 3:18PM

I've seen the neo-con label misused, but that's the worst. They can be bad, but that's a bit of a reach - particularly labeling Lieberman one. He isn't - he's center-left.

Siegfried X| 4.1.10 @ 10:34PM

McCain wanted Lieberman as his running mate; that was his first choice. Lieberman endorsed McCain.

That is because the neo-cons are really their own party, with different views from both Democrats and Republicans. Both McCain and Lieberman put their neo-conservatism above their party, endorsing and supporting each other.

Dai Alanye | 4.1.10 @ 12:22PM

The impetus of Frum's apostase is that he thinks himself the brightest and best-informed person in any room he enters. Many conservatives have failed to agree, and it's become too much for him to put up with.

Like Benedict Arnold, who thought himself deserving of more than the Continentals would give him, Frum has turned to aiding the other side. In other words, his problem is unfettered ego.

Nick| 4.1.10 @ 12:46PM

I wrote off Frum(p) a long time ago, when he attacked and smeared conservatives, like Joseph Sobran and the late Robert Novak , who were against Operation Iraqi Freedom, as "Unpatriotic Conservatives", NRO March 19, A.D. 2003.

Link:http://old.nationalreview.com/frum/frum031903.asp

Unlike Toddard, these men made a CONSERVATIVE case against the war. I disagreed with them, but I would never have libeled them as "unpatriotic." That is the tactic of the liberals.

I don't trust anyone who wants to attend, or has, cocktail parties. Americans have barbeques. With beer on ice. Cocktail parties are just an excuse to show off your home, to keep up with the Jones. Is that an elitist cliché?

Also, is it a coincidence that Frum and Shrum rhyme with Scum? Their childhoods must have been hell.

NavyBrat | 4.1.10 @ 1:13PM

"I don't trust anyone who wants to attend, or has, cocktail parties. Americans have barbeques. With beer on ice."

AMEN, Brother Nick! BBQs with Memphis style dry-rubbed ribs, ice cold Pacifico beer, & Stevie Ray Vaughan on the stereo. I'll even play "Wall of Denial" as a tribute to liberal idiots, both leaders & KoolAid gulpers like Little Mikey.

Here it is, the Dem/libtard/progressive theme song. You'll hear alot more of this after the landslide in November:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUXb3W-zA30

Heatpacker| 4.1.10 @ 1:35PM

Ribs, beer, and Stevie Ray. What do I have to do to get an invitation?

NavyBrat | 4.1.10 @ 1:50PM

Just look me up next time you're in Pittsburgh, Heatpacker. I may have been up here for 8 yrs, but I still remember how to do ribs Memphis style!

Heatpacker| 4.1.10 @ 2:09PM

I don't get out that way very often. My in-laws used to live in Delaware, so I drove the Turnpike a couple of times a year.
However, if you are a auto racing fan, and want to go the Indy 500, I might be able to make a deal with you.

Nick| 4.2.10 @ 1:25PM

NavyBrat,

Yes!
Stevie Ray Vaughn. And the Blues Brothers. And Motown!

I'm sure Mikey is more of a Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion fan. Ha-ha!

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 4:33PM

And that stupid Dave Matthews Band.

Roughcoat| 4.1.10 @ 1:15PM

Ah, geez--Frum again. In Pundit Land there is much talk about this guy. Several commentators at NRO, the awful Michael Weiss at New Criterion's Arme Virumque blog, and etc., have risen to Frum's defense: talking about him, they sound as though they're at a formal reception, daintily sipping coffee with one pinky raised. Out here in the real world, we just cease to pay attention to Frum and his ilk, and go on with our lives.

rebel| 4.1.10 @ 1:34PM

He is not the first one and probably the last one. His article was right away picked up by other so called "conservatives" who as they say searching only for the "truth wherever it leads". One of the most virulent is debbie sclussel, yet to hear something from peggy noonan.

gearjammer| 4.1.10 @ 1:59PM

To think a conservative organization was paying this guy 100 k to basically sabotage conservatism and the republican party. Starve these people. Go for the money we give them without knowing it. College endowments, certain charities, so many NGOS, and the media conglomerates come to mind. They love money. They are the ones who believe the notion they are worthy to live like modern day Pharaohs with no limits on their will and whims, as they cage and neuter real Americans. How the republicans squandered their majorities when they should have gone after these punks.

Mojo Risin| 4.1.10 @ 2:38PM

The same thing applies to John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Bill O'Reilly. There seems to be a penchant to turn on fellow travelers in conservative politics and offer-up support for the opposition. What's the payoff? Will they be looked upon as more understanding and somehow appeal to some mystery contingent of supporters? Trolling for the illegal alien vote???

Take BO, he interviews Jason Mattera, badgers him about calling Smalley, Smalley, and ignores the reason Mattera was on the show. Is O'Reilly appealing to his conservative viewers by hammering his guest? Not this one. Ya know, everytime Ball Bustin Bill goes after unnamed radio talk show hosts who don't meet his standards, Rush and Sean are his targets. O'Reilly is failing the attitude test miserably!!!

Paul from SA| 4.1.10 @ 3:46PM

I agree completely. O'Reilly seems bent on cross-examining and disproving all his conservative guests while elevating liberal talking points. He is more interested in being accepted by Good Morning America, The View, Colbert, Stewart... I can hardly watch him anymore.

Look at how McCain is attacking JD Hayworth. Look at how Kay Bailey Hutchison attacked Rick Perry. These RINOs attack conervatives just like liberals do, but they never attack liberals. Hmmm?

Mojo Risin| 4.1.10 @ 4:48PM

Since I posted, my memory has been jogged. Dana Loesch (St Louis talk show host), was a guest on O'Reilly's show and he treated her like a criminal, her crime, being tough on the leftist congressmen who claimed to be called the "N" word and spit-on, with their word being treated like the truth by the MSM. BO felt that even though there was absolutely no proof of their claims, he would still have to take the word of those members because the are "Stand-up people" and lying would be beneath them, or some such thing.

I can't believe I'm being this tough on ole Bill, I really enjoy the show, but he's really bugg'n me with his schizo, unpredictable behavior...

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 2:06AM

He's pissing me off a lot, too, lately. I saw that interview you mentioned--BO was a real Ahole to her.

Liberal Reader| 4.1.10 @ 4:42PM

Frum was all right with you guys back when he was peddling the "axis of evil" business.

What changed?

He criticized another conservative?

What the hell has gotten into you people?

I'm trying to imagine William F. Buckley blubbering and whining because a conservative criticized him.

You guys are all morphing into Glenn Beck -- a histrionic woosey who whimpers and weeps on television!

Come on, conservatives: we expect a little Stoic and firm resolve on your parts!

Geck| 4.1.10 @ 5:06PM

Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman applaud your Progressive Big Tent.

Uh.. wait.. no.

Daisy| 4.1.10 @ 6:35PM

Please don't call these people conservatives, they are neocons. Conservatism died back in the 80s when Norman Podhoretz et al took over killed it.

What is most interesting about this article is that a neocon publication like the American Spectator would turn on one of its own. That is saying something.

Margie| 4.2.10 @ 12:27AM

Ha ha ha! Glenn Beck sure must be doing something right. The Liberal reader troll makes mention of him in every post these days.

I guess since his leader (Obama) mentioned him and Rush in an interview he feels he has to follow suit. New talking points? LOL.

SoCon| 4.2.10 @ 2:08AM

It's because Beck's kicking their liberal hind-quarters all over the place.

GO GLENN!

David | 4.1.10 @ 5:10PM

Hey Canuck and KY3, "When the baggers realize that moderates and progressives want DIALOGUE not ideology from the right?"

That is all the left wants to do - talk, talk, talk, and then talk some more.

Conservatives cannot have productive conversations with people to the left of them. We cannot have reasonable conversations with you for the simple reasons that: you ignore FACTS when you argue; you do not believe ABSOLUTE TRUTHS exist; everything is RELATIVE to you; you do not believe there are such things as GOOD and EVIL or RIGHT and WRONG; you believe in equality of RESULTS rather than equality of OPPORTUNITY.

I will say this about Obama: Apparently he believed in equality of opportunity - at least as it applies to him. Broken home, low income, and he rose to the top. But he, like everyone else on the left, probably believes that he is just such a special, gifted person and that he why he was able to do it.

Anyway, why don't you, KY3, and Canuck get together for that conversation you so desperately w ant.

Drew | 4.1.10 @ 6:16PM

When you see not one, but two articles in the American Spectator calling for the "purging" from the movement those who dare disagree with whatever line of claptrap is currently De rigueur in reichwing circles - then you know the end cannot be far off.

The fact of the matter is "Conservative Intellectual" is fast becoming an oxymoron. You lost Sullivan, you lost Buckley junior, and now you've lost Frum. The 2008 election saw BA and BSc graduates vote for the Democratic candidate by a significant majority.

You only need to read the comments in this blog to see the result: increasingly wacko conspiracy theories, combined with mis-spelled rants of dubious coherence.

If anyone confuses Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity (who between them have a total of about six months of college to their credit) as serious intellectual standard bearers for a winning movement - you are seriously deluded.

I wish you well on your misbegotten Night of the Long Knives.

loulou| 4.1.10 @ 7:19PM

We did not lose Sullivan. It's the HIV talking. Plus the syphlitic process. In other words, the guy is non compos mentis.

Frum, we never had.

Liberal Reader| 4.1.10 @ 9:34PM

This has got to be one of the nastiest things I've ever read here. You're a nasty, bitter, mean person with utterly no compassion.

Margie| 4.2.10 @ 12:22AM

You certainly have a very short memory, don't you? Being the King of demeaning and insulting and all.

SoCon| 4.2.10 @ 2:10AM

Truth hurts, Screeder; stop whining will ya?

Margie| 4.1.10 @ 7:20PM

Your wishes are not our command.

Lying about people and their motives doesn't make it so.

You're the loser, in truth, along with your Leftist beliefs. No matter how you try and paint it.

Otherwise~ why do you and your Leftist ilk have to try so hard?

JimE| 4.2.10 @ 2:21AM

Six months college between them and they continually run rings around the ivy-league liberals. Fred Phelps is a college educated liberal.

Stanley Lord| 4.1.10 @ 6:31PM

Frum sucks.

Just email advertisers anywhere he shows up and tell them you wont buy their product as long as Frum appears.

Sting| 4.1.10 @ 6:33PM

@Liberal Reader

Who is whinning?

Funny though you NEVER see a Liberal mock Liberalism or another Liberal.

No tolerance over there

Tom Luce| 4.1.10 @ 6:42PM

A long overdue and very welcolmed anatomization of Mr. Frum's increasingly noisome, self-serving, drive-by, schtickery. It's high time someone called out Frum for the warped and rotted fifth column that he is within the conservative movement. Well done, Mr. Tyrrell. ...Now, if you could just get Mark Steyn and Victor Davis Hanson to stop running for cover for (their "friend") Frum(p).

rdman| 4.1.10 @ 6:42PM

Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 - December 19, 1968) was a leading American Socialist, Pacifist and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.

The Socialist Party candidate for President of the U.S., Norman Thomas said the following in a 1944 speech:

“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of ‘liberalism,’ they will adopt every fragment of the socialist doctrine, until one day America will be a socialist nation without knowing how it happened.”

He went on to say, “I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The DEMOCRAT PARTY HAS ADOPTED OUR PLATFORM.” (emphasis rdman)

GOP/RNC... where is your strategic 5 year, 10 year, 20 year plan, "anything" plan???

Like transparent idiots, the GOP/RNC can only manage to "react" to the trees instead of strategically attacking the incrementalist socialist (progressive) forest. They even "react" to planted diversionary socialist/marxist trees... FOOLS like Mitch O'Connell, the Owl.

What we are now experiencing is 90% completion of the marxist's 100 year plan. This has been taking place under our very noses!!!

Reaction is not leadership and the current GOP/RNC is totally void of LEADERSHIP, period... and We the People, our Constitution and our Country are in deep, deep trouble!!!

Where are the Reagans, Thatchers (the Iron Lady of England) and Goldwaters in the last 10-20 years of the GOP/RNC???

Ralph Novy| 4.4.10 @ 3:12AM

rdman:

Knock off the conspiracy shit, eh, guy?

Hey.....I'm a self-proclaimed "liberal" and "progressive," a proud "card-carrying member of the ACLU."

I'm just "this side" of being "libertarian." The difference is that I just slightly trust government more than I do corporations (doesn't say much).

I agree with about knee-jerk "reaction" as not being any sort of "policy," but when you started talking about Marxists' "100-year plan," you lost me.

For me, a simple farmboy from Wisconsin, it's about the haves vs. have-nots. Period.

Fuck J.P. Morgan. Fuck J.P. Morgan-Chase.

Hey......interesting......read the Wikipedia article about the 1907 Financial Panic. Instructive, methinks.

Jordan| 4.1.10 @ 7:31PM

Kathleen and Peggy were and are absolutely correct on Sarah Palin. It is regrettable that identifying Palin for what she is (an ignorant diva who is unelectable nationally) calls out the kind of marginalization we have seen as against Parker and Noonan.

Kevin Riley O'Keeffe | 4.1.10 @ 7:55PM

Very true. Palin is an odious, simple-minded buffoon. I'm about as right-wing as they come, but she is just a bad, unelectable joke. Although its not merely a question of her being unelectable. I wouldn't want her to win if she were nominated. If the GOP nominates her for President in 2012 (which I very much doubt will occur, thank God), and I were to find myself residing in a swing state, I'd probably vote to re-elect Obama.

Paul from SA| 4.1.10 @ 9:35PM

I think you're just envious of Sarah's accomplishments, family, fame and fortune. Oh and also her brains. And her looks. And her power and influence.

How many people know you? How many people would come see you on stage? What is the highest level of public service have you attained? Do you have a wife and kids? What is your networth? Did you ever give a speech to millions of people? Do you have name recognition? Did you ever run for vice president of the U.S.? What college did you go to and what is your income compared to her? Do you know how to hunt?

You sound just like Peggy Noonan. Are you Peggy Noonan?

Jordan| 4.1.10 @ 11:48PM

Paul, you're kidding, right? What family? She's got a knocked-up teen-age daughter. That's hardly something to be proud of. As far as brains, have you read "Game Change"? The team McCain brought in to help her prep for the debates were left exclaiming "Oh....My.... Gawd" at her utter ignorance of basic information and institutions. She didn't even know what the Bush Doctrine was and you think she has brains?!

Know, I've never run for president and yes, her net worth probably exceeds mine. What in the world does that have to do with the merits of the criticisms of her?

Jordan| 4.1.10 @ 11:49PM

Whoops. I meant "no" not "know".

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 2:14AM

Nice thread hijack attempts, morons--but it didn't work. Bristol Palin gave birth to her son and didn't kill him like you scum-sucking liberal losers do; eventually you liberals will self-extinguish. Thank God!

Sarah will be back big time--just you Fascists wait and see. Hahaha

Ralph Novy| 4.4.10 @ 3:05AM

Yeah, Jeremiah, all we "liberals" are out to get you.

As a matter of fact, we're outside your house right now, armed to the teeth, ready to come in and make you fill out your census forms at gunpoint.

Resistance is futile.

Dumbass......wake up and be an American!
Stop this selfish whining.

Jeez Louise.

Dai Alanye | 4.2.10 @ 4:30AM

"…I'd probably vote to re-elect Obama. "

This tells us everything we need to know about your judgment. No rational person could possibly think that Palin would have made ten percent of the mistakes and bad decisions the Annointed One has made. It's like admitting you'd vote for Stalin in preference to Czar Nicholas.

David Jack Smith | 4.2.10 @ 7:42PM

"I'm about as right-wing as they come...I'd probably vote to re-elect Obama."

Thus speaks an odious, simple minded buffoon.

Let's have some more of your "right-wingery." It's so entertaining.

Ralph Novy| 4.4.10 @ 3:01AM

David Jack Smith:

You're all too fucking on the mark.

Siegfried X| 4.4.10 @ 6:50PM

No one who is really "right-wing" would call themselves right-wing or "vote to re-elect Obama".

A real conservative who didn't want to vote for a left-wing Republican would either vote for a third-party conservative or leave the ballot blank.

Kevin Riley O'Keeffe | 4.1.10 @ 7:51PM

Frum is scum. Always has been, and always will be. Glad to see more people are awakening to this realization.

Jeremiah| 4.2.10 @ 2:17AM

Screw you, Kevin; you're a useless piece of human excrement. You'd know something about scum, ahole.

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fanlad | 4.2.10 @ 1:41AM

Frum has been given a new collar and leash from the progressive radical left. That is, progressive neo-communist, neo-marxist, neo-maoist, that believe in evolution or revolution to further their cause. Welcome to the new attack dog media, they are paid well, taken care of, and pampered, awaiting their orders from on high. Turn coats are a given in a conflict. Thank you General Arnold, welcome to your new assignment.

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Lucy_Lou| 4.2.10 @ 2:07AM

Could you possibly look more childish? And stop projecting, people. You'd make 12 year olds twitch all over it's so embarrassingly silly .

And just so you know. This is how the grownups do it.

Via NRO, from Richard Vigilante,

http://corner.nationalreview.c.....k2ODczNjE=

Nobama| 4.2.10 @ 2:18AM

Go away, Lucy Goosey.

RBI| 4.2.10 @ 4:36AM

Why are you standing in this line? I'm gonna gets me some that Obama money" Where does that money come from? " Froms Obama" Where does he get the money? " Froms his stash" Where does he get that stash" " I's don't know, from sells um crack, he haw , he haw. I jes no, I's gonna get some and I's don't acts where it come from.

Michele San Pietro| 4.2.10 @ 11:17AM

Of course, "odious conservatives" aren't real conservatives. And we real conservatives can certainly do without them!

Lucy_Lou| 4.2.10 @ 4:58PM

Conservatives that so stupid they don't think Richard Vigilante counts as a REAL conservative?

"My Friend David Frum and why he is worth 10 dozen Tunkus and why this post is not as off topic as it seems."

http://www.capitalismbetrayed......ealthcare/

Tough choice. Beavis Jr. or Richard Vigilante.

Frummer| 4.3.10 @ 2:22AM

No problem with real conservatives, just your snotty attitude, Lucy Goosey.

Buzz off, b!tch.

Cris Worth| 4.2.10 @ 9:23PM

Just reading conservative oriented blogs, there is a big division in the GOP. Unlike D. Party warts the likes of Limbaugh and Hannity aren't talking about it. In '80 & '94 the party was united, had a clear message/agenda and strong leaders. No message today except repeal, no forward looking agenda and clueless and leaderless as well. I can't say party chair Steele and front runner Romney both liberals have the conservative savoir faire to out debate and policy wonk the Democrats.

Henry Hall | 4.3.10 @ 1:23PM

Please sign the petition to tell the APA (American Psychiatric Association) that transsexualism is NOT a mental illness at http://snipurl.com/telltheapa
http COLON SLASH SLASH snipurl DOT com SLASH telltheapa
the equivalent long form is:
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Rick| 4.3.10 @ 4:28PM

Liberal fascists like Tyrell can do all the name calling they want. The fact remains: liberal fascist Democrats are a clear and present danger to American freedom, more so than any threat we have faced before. It is the duty of every American who believes in freedom and the Constitution to do whatever it takes to destroy liberal fascism in the US. The liberal fascists continue to focus on the GOP, which is barely alive. The real threat to their communist agenda is from ordinary Americans who are fed up with elitist illegitimate government, marxist Obamunist policies, the hate, greed, and fear coming from them and their mainstream propaganda machine. The way to destroy liberal fascism is to cut off the government's money supply. Privatize universities and colleges, get rid of the marxist professors, charge the little commies full tuition. Split the country, let the liberal fascists relocate to their coastal urban enclaves, taking their freeloader supporters and the national debt with them. Get rid of liberal fascist activist judges, make all judgeships elected offices accountable to the people. Get rid of the tax code, replace it with a flat tax, 10% on all income, no deductions, no capital gains, no business taxes.

bluecollarbytes| 4.4.10 @ 12:01AM

Hannity provides an outlet for several million people to commiserate and get pumped up in going after Obama's reckless presidency. It's a wide spectrum on the Right in media, which should be encouraged as we eventually unify in purpose: getting rid of the Democrat majority and then Obama. That is the 'plan', right?

Ralph Novy| 4.4.10 @ 2:58AM

bluecollarbytes:

It's an extremely NARROW spectrum.

To think elsewise is egotistically delusional.

Check your facts, buddy.

NO TROLLS!| 4.5.10 @ 4:44PM

Your crack pipe is calling you, Ralphie.

Ralph Novy| 4.4.10 @ 2:56AM

Mr. Tyrrell:

Within the first paragaph, you start the ad hominem attacks (against Adriana Huffington) with "In the late 1990s Arianna Huffington exploited this instrument of self-promotion brazenly."

I know "brazen." What she did WASN'T brazen. What you just did here IS.

Then you say Frum "smeared Sean Hannity."

It would be absolutely impossible to smear Sean Hannity. He smears himself in his own self-generated dishonest excrement every day.

Oh, yeah, "Frum(p)" is SO clever; I was really impressed.

You know, trying to rationally critique your piece would be a waste of time. I consists of nothing other than a sequence of ad-hominem mud-slinging attacks.

Shame on you.

Get ahold of yourself and some sense of integrity, decency and community.

Eh?

NO TROLLS| 4.5.10 @ 4:45PM

What would you know about decency, crack-ho?

purpleguy| 4.5.10 @ 5:52PM

Oooh, now that was an intelligent conservative remark, Chuckie ...

John234| 4.4.10 @ 3:19AM

Geez Remmitt, if Frum is guilty of everything you say he is, he SHOULDN'T be allowed to work at AEI, he should be a Republican Senator! He has all the right talents. Or maybe a Republican President, then he could accuse all of his supporters who support some minor level of border control of being closet Nazis. Actually I think Frum is rather more down on open borders than your average Republican Senator or President. So he isn't quite as good a conservative hustler as you make him out to be.

No Trolls| 4.5.10 @ 4:46PM

That you, Scummer?

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