The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : He's Mao-velous!

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Just wanted to add a quick thought to the Anita Dunn/Mao controversy. As Matt demonstrates below, this is one of those instances in which the broader context actually makes the speaker of a controversial quote come off worse. Dunn doesn't just name Mao as one of her two favorite political philosophers who she often "turn[s] to," but she goes on to tell the story of Mao's takeover of China as an example of perseverance, without any qualification. It's important to recognize, though, that the reason why the outrage over this story has largely been confined to conservatives is that Mao has managed to escape the stigma attached to other totalitarian rulers of the 20th Century, namely Hitler and Stalin. If any administration official had told an inspiring story about Hitler as an example of perseverance -- a failed painter who was written off after the Beer Hall Putsch, but who emerged from prison to mount a political comeback that saw him take over Germany -- that official would be gone instantly, even with the liberal media.

It's unfortunate that Mao, a man who is responsible for the deaths of 70 million people, isn't as politically toxic. Part of this is a legacy of the romanticized portrait of Mao conveyed by Edgar Snow, Mao's propagandist to the West, in the 1937 book Red Star Over China, as well as subsequent liberal apologetics for him in the decades that followed, and general ignorance. American elementary and high schools teach European and Cold War history, but don't tend to emphasize Chinese history, meaning that people who want to learn more about the world's most populous nation generally have to seek out that knowledge on their own. For a more critical account of Mao's brutal legacy, I'd recommend Jung Chang and Jon Halliday's excellent Mao: the Unknown Story to anybody who hasn't read it.

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Oldefarte| 10.20.09 @ 1:14PM

Most normal people should not be surprised concerning this 'MAO' situation. All liberals [at least the INTELLECTUAL ones] pried themselves upon being OPEN MINDED to any/all THOUGHT, regardless of whether it is criminal, Communistic, Socialistic,etc. These liberals do not consider restricting their minds/intellect to information that could be thought offensive. In having such open minds, they then become semi/totally influenced by their exposure to same; and are thus converted or brainwashed occasionally or frequently. They do not believe in any form of censorship, but their openness ends up usurping their rationality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daisy| 10.20.09 @ 2:27PM

Mao was a communist--of course liberals give him and his murderous brutality a pass: They're all on the same side.

No confusion here.

hmm_contrib| 10.20.09 @ 5:54PM

What shocker - FOX was caught doctoring the clip in order to change Dunn's intent:
Continuing Fox News' witch hunt against members of the Obama administration, both Glenn Beck and Special Report misleadingly cropped White House communications director Anita Dunn's remarks at a high school graduation ceremony to falsely claim that she was, in Beck's words, "proclaiming Mao [Zedong] as ... the man that she turns to most." In fact, Dunn actually said that Mao and Mother Theresa were "the two people that I turn to most to basically deliver a simple point, which is, you're going to make choices" [emphasis on MM page].
Who needs a complete quote when you have a President to destroy?

Gene| 10.20.09 @ 8:47PM

did you not do some "cropping" youself?

stubee| 10.21.09 @ 7:05AM

hmmm_contrib

pot calling the kettle black? and what difference does it make anyway? chairman mao as role model...lets check those quotes from comrade dunn regarding the control of the state run media during dear leaders campaign...
jackass