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Bye, Alamoudi
October 23, 2003 | 0 comments
Feature
He Wears Short Shorts
The double world of Paul Krugman.
A recent
graduate of Princeton reports that professor Paul Krugman could be
sighted there dressed in an unusual uniform: jacket, dress shirt,
and tie on top, short shorts down below.
Viewers nationwide watching Krugman’s television appearances made from an on-campus broadcast studio had no idea he was appearing without his pants on.
It’s an appropriate metaphor for the work of the Nobel laureate economist, author, New York Times columnist, and regular panelist on ABC’s This Week. On one half, there is the veneer of respectability, the association with prestigious institutions such as Princeton (alma mater of Steve Forbes and George Shultz, home of professor Robert P. George’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions) and the Nobel Prize in economics (also won by Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek). On the other half—the bottom half—are Krugman’s exposed legs.
Maybe some policeman in a tropical clime (Krugman reportedly has a beachfront condo in St. Croix) could carry the outfit off successfully, but just the memory of the sartorial choice of Krugman brought a chuckle from the former student. Any conservatives tempted likewise to dismiss Krugman as a cartoonish laughingstock should beware, though: The joke may be on all of us. One of the people who takes Krugman’s advice seriously is the man who just won a second term in the Oval Office.
FOR CONSERVATIVES and even for thinking liberals, Krugman presents such an inviting target for ridicule that an assignment to dissect his work seems almost unsporting, like an invitation to a canned hunt.
Almost.
So here, just for fun, are a few of my favorite Krugman examples.
There was his New York Times blog post marking the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, with the claim, “The memory of 9/11 has been irrevocably poisoned; it has become an occasion for shame. And in its heart, the nation knows it.” He concluded, “I’m not going to allow comments on this post, for obvious reasons.” (As if he has the power to disallow those of us who are still proud of the New York City firefighters and of Todd “Let’s Roll” Beamer from commenting on his shame.)
Then there is Krugman’s contention, in his 2007 book Conscience of a Liberal, that “the most important, sustained source” of conservative electoral strength “has been race—the ability to win over a subset of white votes by catering, at least implicitly, to their fear of blacks.” This is a major argument of his book. Krugman restates it later, writing, “The principal reason movement conservatives have been able to flourish here, while people with comparable ideas are relegated to the political fringe in Canada and Europe, is the racial tension that is the legacy of slavery.” Somehow Mr. Krugman fails to confront, or manages to omit, that these supposedly racist Republicans appointed Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court and Condoleezza Rice as secretary of State, and that one of President George W. Bush’s signature domestic policy initiatives was a law aimed at narrowing the racial achievement gap in primary and secondary education by increasing and restructuring public-school spending under the supervision of a black secretary of education, Rod Paige.
There was Krugman’s prediction in a 1996 essay in USA Today that “designing a robot that can vacuum your living room” is “an achievement that is still probably many decades away.” Less than six years later, the living room–vacuuming robot named Roomba was introduced commercially, with great success. It had been invented by scientists at MIT, where Krugman spent 20 years as a graduate student and a professor. Maybe that’s why he wrote “probably,” though it doesn’t account for why he wrote “many decades” instead of just “decades.”
But don’t just take it from me. The Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard, Cass Sunstein, who served in the Obama White House, writes that Krugman’s prose makes the columnist sound “arrogant and self-absorbed.”
George Will, Krugman’s fellow panelist on ABC News’ This Week Sunday show, recently admonished the professor, “I have yet to encounter someone who disagrees with you who you don’t think is a knave or corrupt or a corrupt knave.”
This has gotten to be too much even for the New York Times, where the editor overseeing Krugman in the 2000 presidential campaign, Howell Raines, imposed a formal ban on Krugman’s using the word “lie.” Alas, the ban was apparently lifted, or its enforcement lapsed, after the end of the campaign and the departure of Raines.
David Warsh, the former economics columnist of the Boston Globe whose book Krugman gave an effusively positive review in the Sunday Times Book Review, wrote, “Krugman, when he makes his arguments, can’t keep his thumb off the scale, an unfortunate tendency that often undermines their force.…Two words you won’t find in Krugman’s dictionary are ‘exculpatory evidence.’”
The chairman of the Harvard economics department, Greg Mankiw, recently noticed that Krugman had flip-flopped on the danger of the federal budget deficit’s effect on interest rates, blithely dismissing worries during the Obama administration after harping over similar concerns during George W. Bush’s tenure. A 2010 study of 17 prominent economists found Krugman was the most inconsistent of the group, changing his views depending on which party controlled the White House. To Mankiw’s criticism, Krugman replied, “I’ve learned some things and changed some of my views.”
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Cobalt| 2.1.13 @ 6:50AM
Krugman is about as credible as Toure.
spike59| 2.1.13 @ 6:53AM
"They don’t give out the Nobel in economics for nothing."
---------------------------------------
i beg to differ; Paul "we can just print more money-see?" has one
Pecos Pete| 2.1.13 @ 7:23AM
Meow!
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 8:18AM
We're waiting....................................
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 7:41AM
So...Conservatives should be wary of calling this Nobel Prize Laureate an Idiot and a Liar because his Boss is a Nobel Prize Laurete and a Liar and a Piece of Lying Filth?
Au Contraire. Twould seem all the more reason to take him for the Clown that he is.
I would like to thank you for bringing up something that I always bring up when Rat Face Boy is the Subject:
When George Bush was running 100, 200, all the way up to 450 Billion Dollar Defecits, Shitferbrains was pounding the table about the DANGERS of Debt and Defecits. Now, with a fellow follower of Keynes' Economic Principles to Nowhere, in the White House: "Defecits aren't High ENOUGH!" "We're not Spending ENOUGH!"
When Unemployment went UP to 5%, under GWB, it was time to Kill the Captain and Abandon Ship. Now, every bit of bad economic news is schlepped off onto the Last Guy. ( As long as he's a Republican) The guy who's been gone for the last 4 Years.
Like his fellow Shitferbrainser - Thomas always wrong Friedman - I defy anyone to give an example of this Empty Vessel being RIGHT about ANYTHING. He's a regular Arnie vtwin RCV, with a truckload of Purp and Jackass from London thrown if for bad measure.
R Martin| 2.1.13 @ 8:10AM
He's all those things, TLP, but mostly, he's a hypocrite.
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 8:16AM
And, you're late to the Party.
Albert's already there, and he's eating everything.
Tina B| 2.1.13 @ 8:37AM
I love you, Timmy. We've never met, I know, but you can make me smile and laugh like nobody's business.
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 11:06AM
"I love you, Timmy" ain't gonna cut it, Sister.
You still have to enter an Analogy.
You wanna be there when Arnie gets an Abortion, don't ya?
Bob Grant| 2.1.13 @ 7:25PM
"You still have to enter an Analogy."
TLP, you miss a few crucial letters in this sentence and you're back on the banned list.
Warrior| 2.1.13 @ 10:11PM
Arnie technically is an after birth abortion.
Pecos Pete| 2.1.13 @ 9:49AM
I hid the scotch, as a result Colonel Mike might not show up.
Al Adab| 2.1.13 @ 12:11PM
Pete:
You hid the Scotch! Barbarian.
How does anyone think Krugmans' legs compare with Guilfoyles'?
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 2:58PM
Get thee to a Contest, Al Adab.
Mr. Bowman's Column, from Tuesday.
SUBVET| 2.1.13 @ 10:31AM
Tim........are krugman and henry waxman related they look like they could be twins.....anyone see the resemblance and jack yes they both are jewish.
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 11:03AM
I heard that Krugman dresses up like a 12 Year old Hispanic Girl, and Menendez gives him money for stuff that Purp would gladly do for him, for Free.
Anthony| 2.1.13 @ 8:15AM
Nice picture. Looks like Paul the ferret Krugman has put on a few pounds around the middle. The nutty Princetonian professor must be squirriling nuts for a rainy day, which, under Obozo, is everyday.
Oh well, tomorrow is Groundhog day. Krugman and Gore will emerge from their caves and see their shadows.
Puxatawney Al Jezerra will see his and predict six more decades of Anthropogenic Global Warming.
Krugman will see his and predict government spending needs to increase for six more decades. The ferret will then produce the Trillion dollar coins needed for Obozo to continue to produce all those shovel ready jobs.
Allah willing, perhaps we can then take Al and Paul to the local vet to be euthannized.
People that stupid need to be taken out of their misery.
Tina B| 2.1.13 @ 8:45AM
Anthony, I love you too. This ( guys with humor and brains) is why I come here (TAS) every morning with my cuppa Joe. Or tea. Funny bright ladies too, you know who you are, dahlings. Not only if we don't laugh we'll cry kinda thing, but as I know the Lord has a wonderful sense of humor, the laughter you bring out as you make your accurate political points, or play word games with the family here at TAS, even though often crude, is a positive response to the absurdity of life under Obozo. Thank you again, gang.
Quartermaster| 2.1.13 @ 8:25AM
Krugman is either demented or he's an Idiot. That he was given an Nobel is irrelevant, particularly in Economics. In Economics the Nobel is pretty much meaningless. Just look at the "theories" that have won one. It's not a standard of quality in any way.
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 2:59PM
Can't he be Both?
Maxwell| 2.1.13 @ 8:34AM
Just to add one correction, Cruz from the great state of Texas also graduated from Princeton.
When my father graduated from high school at the age of 15 he walked down the street to Princeton University to apply. He was told flat out, no money, no education. With that answer he took a train to Union College in up state New York. Upon arriving at Union he walked into the deans office, said I have no money, do you want academic excellence or money? The dean was so taken back he told dad, go register and have them bill me instead of you. Things were sure better in 1900.
Now, as far as Princeton is today, trust me, the whole town is like Krugman.
Tina B| 2.1.13 @ 8:48AM
Wow, Maxwell. What a great story to have in your family! I trust you pass it on to sons and sons of sons. (or daughters, you know what I mean) since that is what our legacies are made of. God bless.
Maxwell| 2.1.13 @ 9:13AM
Thank you Tina. May He bless us all!
Ryan| 2.1.13 @ 9:02AM
Wanna fix the economy? Do the exact opposite of what Krugman suggests.
cicero| 2.1.13 @ 9:12AM
A read of this column only shows that Krugman is like any other prostitute walking. He loves whoever has the money or power. If the prevailing political trend is conservative, he espouses conservative theory. When the pendulum swings to the left, he champions lestist theory. He is given the repectable cover as a professor at Princeton. What better argument can there by for stopping all taxpayer support for "higher?" education?
These academic frauds have been living high on the entitlement hog for far too long. None of them could make a living in the real world. Perhaps if they had to work at real jobs better suited for their real talents, we woulnd't have to import illegal third world poor to cut our lawns and bus our tables.
Grzmlyk| 2.1.13 @ 4:08PM
I want to know why this evil rich scumbag has a home in St. Croix.
I don't have a home in St. Croix; I can't afford one. Whaaaa!!!! That's not fair!
Clearly, this parasite, sucking the life blood out of the noble proletariat, isn't taxed enough.
Somebody isn't living according to his needs. Someone is engaging in conspicuous consumption.
Funny how the party apparatchiks always wind up with their own luxurious dachas from which resplendent confines they preen with ostentation and admonish us that we should make the same precious fetish of egalitarianism that they fake.
We need to confiscate this palace and make an example of Krugman PRONTO.
Anthony| 2.1.13 @ 4:20PM
I'm with you this Grzmlyk. Double-wide Paul needs an involuntary disinvestment of his assets. And once we've fleeced the bastard, we can send his other asset to the Swanky Gents Bath House for a good ole Obama lesson of leading from behind.
Miles Glorious| 2.1.13 @ 9:31AM
The only two Princeton grads of note are Dick Kazmaier and Cosmo Iacavazzi,and I agree with Cicero
Anthony| 2.1.13 @ 9:49AM
O.K. Having once again viewed the picture of Paul the ferret Krugman, (thanks to Ben Stein for that porn web page hat tip ) I must renege on yesterday's promise to give Arnie my purloined Obozo's Swanky Gents Bath House membership club card.
Seems paunchy Paul could use a good massage and a work out with those muscular boys in Chicago.
Yep, the boys at the Club will just love ya Paul, if you saunter into the club in your Princeton jacket and short shorts. Yum,yum.
sickofit5| 2.1.13 @ 9:56AM
I look at that photo above and I think to myself, "Harry Reid's roommate" and all that implies.
Louis Jenkins| 2.1.13 @ 10:30AM
Yes, but let's consider the utilitirian mode of dress. His hands may play with whatever they want, and nothing gets in the way. The best of all worlds.
Anthony| 2.1.13 @ 11:11AM
O.K. gang, we've had a great time at the expense of Nobel laureate Krugman.
What's the big deal here? After all, if fellow Nobel laureate Emperor Obozo can walk around with no clothes, and the American left is still gaga over the guy, what's the big deal if Krugman walks around Princeton in his underpants?
Look, Princeton is a cutting edge lefty institution of higher learning, we knuckle draggers need to show some respect.
Now, if the inestimable dean of Princeton's African American Studies Program, the gap toothed, afro sporting, Cornel West Ph.D. starts walking around Princeton in a grass skirt with a bone through his nose, THEN Princeton has a bit of an image problem, but we're not there yet.
fmm| 2.1.13 @ 12:38PM
Guess what he wears in private.
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 3:01PM
Pants, and no shirt?
Alabama Yankee| 2.1.13 @ 10:11PM
Cornel West in a grass skirt and a bone through his nose, complete with Afro and gap-tooth! Lawd, that's something I would pay good money to see. It's be more entertaining than standing in the bald-headed guy's row at the girly show, especially if I had my trusty Bic lighter handy.
Must put that on my Bucket-List.
Kurt NY| 2.1.13 @ 1:45PM
I used to find Paul Krugman's columns in The NY Times insightful, interesting, and always worth a read. Even when I disagreed with his recommendations, you have to respect the insight and research. And sometimes he is clearly right.
But once the last election started heating up he's just become an unapologetic shill for the Democratic Party and is no longer interesting in the slightest, as he is now just another propagandist. Shame really.
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 3:02PM
After your first paragraph?
I was sure that your next paragraph was gonna be something about you Quitting Smoking Pot.
Job| 2.1.13 @ 2:27PM
Ron Browns name, in same sentence as airplane...conspiracy comes to mind. Oy vey, what difference does it make, I'm a crackpot, no back talk; i called it.
TLP| 2.1.13 @ 3:04PM
Contest at Mr. Bowman's Tuesday Column.
We could use you.
Anthony| 2.1.13 @ 4:23PM
Hmmm. something's might supicious today.The trolls are MIA.
Paul McGrath| 2.1.13 @ 5:29PM
I suspect he's trying to make a comment about himself by having his photograph taken in front of all of those books. But the sloppy, disorganized way he keeps them says a lot, too.
He's an intellectual slob.
Hardcard| 2.1.13 @ 6:59PM
Krugman is the poster boy for nebisher-putz, hey I grew up in the Bronx.
wombat1| 2.2.13 @ 2:53PM
Dr. Krugman as a veterinarian?
Reminds me of the story about another learned
"scientist" who embarked on an inquiry: how long does it take to teach a horse to live entirely on sawdust instead of hay?
Results were inconclusive: the horses kept dying.
guthriej| 2.3.13 @ 3:09PM
Re Prize: It was for work on trade not fiscal policy, but still....
Dwimby| 2.6.13 @ 1:39PM
“has been race—the ability to win over a subset of white votes by catering, at least implicitly, to their fear of blacks.”
What a racist toad this man is (Krugman). He is part of the gigantic series of problems we have in our very special country, still special in spite of vaporheads like him. Both he and Obama belong in the same pea pod together. They are from the same ideologically empty wellspring. Lenin is in there too. Both these arrogant jive turkeys make trouble at every opportunity. No exceptionalism here! Not an ounce between them. Opportunism - yes. Exceptionalism - no.
Dwimby| 2.6.13 @ 1:47PM
"They don’t give out the Nobel in economics for nothing. In other words, that’s a real jacket and tie Krugman has on over those shorts. "
For God's sake they gave the prize to Obama too. Real brilliance runs in streaks? If so, we are, in fact, doomed...