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The Spectacle Blog
In a great Hannity debate tonight on Fox over the issue of intelligence/special prosecutors/Eric Holder etc, Juan Williams made a bad mistake.
While I’ve never met Juan, I have great respect for him as the proverbial “honest liberal.” Certainly his treatment by NPR was just despicable… and one would think eye-opening to Mr. Williams about left-wing elitism and snobbery — all longtime, not to mention laughable, traits of the Liberal media.
Hence my surprise tonight when Mr. Williams referred to himself as a “real reporter” and not just a “blogger” like…..Michelle Malkin. While the clip hasn’t posted yet, when it does we will post.
I have met Michelle Malkin. She is one very charming and decent soul. She is also not only incredibly hardworking… she is one hell of a real reporter.
Juan Williams suddenly surfaced a really unattractive quality… snobbery. A quality that is as unattractive as it seems to be un-natural to Juan Williams. Not only is Ms. Malkin entirely undeserving of this aired insult personally… the arrogance… and in Juan’s case the surprising arrogance… from someone who was treated in such a precisely equal fashion by NPR…was wildly wrong.
Juan Williams doesn’t — shouldn’t — let this stand. Times they are a-changing. Bloggers these days — especially superb ones like Ms. Malkin (who is also a syndicated columnist in the old world of newspapers) — are not only real reporters, they are more than frequently better than those who are lazing around out there in the print world only. Just ask Dan Rather, whose job was lost because of an investigative story by the bloggers of Powerline.
Next to believing in NPR, this is Juan Williams’ biggest professional mistake.
He should apologize to Ms. Malkin.
Personally and promptly.
Then get back on track. Because he’s too smart…and I suspect too decent… to let something this dumb stand.
UPDATE: Here’s the video:
Bob S| 6.13.12 @ 11:53PM
You believe too much in a liberal Jeffrey.
spike59| 6.14.12 @ 5:48AM
indeed...Williams is hard-wired, as a proud member of the Leftist chattering class, for arrogance, snobbery, and condescension. his 'rep' as an 'honest liberal' most likely stems from his ability to say incredibly wrong-headed things without resorting to MSDNC hysterics
JD| 6.14.12 @ 2:52PM
I agree with the article's assessment of Williams as being better than most liberals for the simple reason that he sometimes engages us in real dialogue. Of course we'll still dislike his conclusions because he is a liberal, and we'll find fault with his ways of reaching conclusions as we find fault with all ways of reaching liberal conclusions.
To adhere to the definition of "honest liberal" you seem to be seeking, he would have to be conservative. That expectation reduces you to the equivalent of the liberals on CNN who write "advice for the Republicans" editorials where they say "Republicans would win more elections if they just became as liberal as Democrats."
cali| 6.14.12 @ 6:10AM
Juan Williams may be an honest liberal; yet he is non-objective when it comes to color of his skin; ergo no matter how wrong obama is, black sticks with blacks 99.9%.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 6.14.12 @ 6:44AM
Juan Williams is not a reporter. There are few real reporters and Jaun Williams would not make a good cub reporter.
Juan Williams satirical remark may not have been at Michelle Malkin so much as to bloggers everywhere who ARE the real reporters. They are the ones who should be on the air with their thoughts, not the thoughts of a liberal like Jaun Williams, when those thoughts are so easy to discredit, including his blogger remark.
Jaun Williams is at best a useful idiot who spews liberal pablum and gets away with it because he's a black man.
Jaun Williams should be informed he was lucky to be born black. If he was white people would laugh at him. Since he's black he must be taken seriously.
Occam's Tool| 6.14.12 @ 3:19PM
Juan Williams should have been left to twist in the wind with NPR.
JimH| 6.14.12 @ 7:50AM
Juan is to the Fox panel what the Washington Generals are to the Harlem Globetrotters.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 6.14.12 @ 9:22AM
I always presumed that the Generals were good players, and the script called for them to lose. In the case of Juan, Beckel, Colmes and other liberals at Fox News, I think they are playing at the best of their ability. They lose because their arguments are weaker.
AllAmericanAmerican| 6.14.12 @ 8:25AM
An "honest liberal," huh? An oxymoron if there ever was one.
One of the problems "conservatives" have is assuming our opponents are "honest" or want "what's best for the country" as most real, small-govt tea-party types do.
They don't.
They want whatever keeps them in power. Whatever keeps the cash flowing. Neocon RINOs are the same, and that's why tea-party candidates are doing well around the country. Not in all races, but in enough to make the establishment take notice.
Williams is no more honest than any other liberal who believes you need to spend your way out of debt, or that taking away guns makes you safer, or that the private sector is "doing well." LIberals, by definition, are liars because all of their core beliefs are contradictions and lies. They defy common sense. They defy reality.
So no, there is no "honest liberal."
Kimberly| 6.14.12 @ 9:32AM
"LIberals, by definition, are liars because all of their core beliefs are contradictions and lies."
I find this comment fascinating, please explain in detail. Here's the definition of liberal to help get you started:
lib·er·al
[lib-er-uhl, lib-ruhl]
adjective
1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2. ( often initial capital letter ) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, especially with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
Simon Templar| 6.14.12 @ 10:23AM
First, you are using the adjective definition that contains a very broad description that does not define what 'progress' entails that could conceivably be applied to a conservative or Tea Party person who is seeking political reform and maximum individual freedom and the protection of civil liberties such as his first and second amendment rights.
Second, get off your lazy intellectual ass and analyze and explain it yourself.
Third, just for the sake of argument, here are a few contradictions.
Liberals fight for the living rights of animals and criminals but could care less for an unborn human.
Liberals tout tolerance but employ political correctness and attempt to shut down speech they deem unacceptable.
Liberals claim to be open minded but can not tolerate any ideas that they have not deemed 'good.'
Liberals are all for things being constitutional and pointing out things that are not constitutional but also trash the constitution, think of it as an impediment, and consider it a 'living document.'
Liberals tout that they stand for maximum individual freedom but pass laws that restrict people's choice of food, their gun rights, their rights to practice their religion and express those beliefs, heavy and burdensome business regulation.
AllAmericanAmerican| 6.14.12 @ 10:42AM
I find it fascinating that in the sentence preceding the one you quoted, I gave three liberal contradictions you obviously didn't read or ignored altogether.
Here's one for ya to think about. How is it that you guys are true believers in Darwinism, evolution, and "survival of the fittest," yet get all wee-wee'd up about chicken farms or skinning beavers for their fur and believe animals should have "rights" like humans?
If you can give a rational, reasonable answer to that one I'll have another for you.
Which means I won't have another for you.
AllAmericanAmerican| 6.14.12 @ 10:47AM
Kimberly how is believing everyone should be treated equally, meaning equality of OPPORTUNITY, somehow racist but believing folks of a different race need extra points on placement tests and such, i.e. Affirmative Action, is somehow noble and NOT racist? Doesn't Affirmative Action basically say "Hey black folks, you are not as smart as white folks, therefore you get an extras 20 points on this fireman's academy test/college entrance exam./whatever."
AllAmericanAmerican| 6.14.12 @ 10:50AM
Kimberly how come guns are bad and make you violent and therefore should be taken away from citizens, but when something bad happens to said citizens we call the police, who have---wait for it---guns?
AllAmericanAmerican| 6.14.12 @ 10:53AM
Kimberly if I owe you $1000 and I borrow $1000 from Simon to pay you, am I still $1000 in debt? If you answer "yes" then how is it that the federal government can be in debt yet borrowing and spending is the way to get us out of debt???
mike 3/505| 6.14.12 @ 5:32PM
OK Paratroop...quit beating up on the "legs." It's not fair...they ain't as smart as us Jumpers.
Sparky| 6.14.12 @ 9:17AM
I watched that Hannity segment. While I agree that Williams's 'real reporter' remark was a silly tit for tat, it was Malkin who was seriously out of line. It was Malkin who began the ad hominem attacks and she kept them up throughout the segment. She was so relentless in her personal attacks on Williams that it made me wonder whether there wasn't some unpleasant history between the two of them.
Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 6.14.12 @ 9:29AM
Yeah, Malkin is "just a blogger." And Williams is just a reporter who trades on his race to help further the progressive narrative & keep his comments from any serious criticism. If HALF the "reporters" in the media did a FRACTION of the research that Malkin does for here mere blog, maybe people wouldn't be so contemptuous in their opinions about them. Juan's been bitten by the "Oh Shit, Our Guy is on the Ropes so I Have to Say SOMETHING" syndrome that seems to be infecting regressives all over the country.
Bob Grant| 6.14.12 @ 10:02AM
Juan Williams' facial expression when posed a question always gets under my skin. The expression itself is full of condescension. Therefore, I tend to tune out to what he has to say.
He seems like a genuinely decent fellow who thinks for himself from time to time (see his support of Clarence Thomas), but has a knack of going off the deep end supporting his crazy stances.
Remember election night in '04 when he insinuated Bush stole another election just after it was called with nothing to back up the allegation. He "suspected" the voting machines in Ohio gave the election to Bush.
This was EXTREMELY irresponsible for a self-described "real journalist".
Juan Williams?...whatever.
Citizen Jerry| 6.14.12 @ 10:28AM
Jeffrey shouldn't hold his breath for an apology from Juan Williams. He's an affable enough guy, but he's still a leftist hack. And don't be surprised about snobbery and arrogance. It's deeply embedded in the chromosomes of liberal DNA.
Controse| 6.14.12 @ 10:56AM
I assume you put "honest liberal" in quotes because you know your readers know it is an oxymoron.
Will Stevens| 6.14.12 @ 11:17AM
Juan Williams must have been talking about reporters like Jayson Blair. He worked for the New York Times, so he obviously was "real".
fmm| 6.14.12 @ 11:29AM
Unfortunately you over rate Williams both professionally and personally. His attitude is that of the normal elitist liberal. FOX News is the one owing an apology to their viewers for employing Williams.
JD| 6.14.12 @ 2:57PM
I'd rather they employ liberals and confront their positions than be like other "news" sources that hide from dissenting opinion.
Oldefarte| 6.14.12 @ 11:32AM
Yeah, a REAL REPORTER like Huntley, Brinkley, Cronkite, Curic, Williams, Murrow, etc; or if you really wish to get down into the journalism sewer, maybe Shultz, Maddow, Matthews etc!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oldefarte| 6.14.12 @ 11:35AM
Speaking of Malkin, does anyone here know of the current situation regarding her niece who disappeared and who the authorities were trying to find??????????
J.C.Eaton| 6.14.12 @ 1:31PM
Mr. Lord, with all due respect, and I do highly respect you[both your skills and deportment] Juan Williams owes EVERYONE an apology. H e should be making daily novenas to Heaven that anyone would give him a paying job. He is an elitist, insufferable prick who understands nothing of which he knows. He is a child. Best,
Abu Nudnik| 6.14.12 @ 4:49PM
This is more than snobbery. There's a real war on between those who filter and package news and opinion. "Respectable" journalists still say "blogs" the way you and I say "Martians." That's why they are losing. They are not so oddly conservative with respect to their jobs (they want to conserve them) while "liberal" in their political attitudes (socialist really). Their appeal is to officialdom and so the snobbery is part of the sales package. There would not be a "fairness doctrine" bill if that weren't so.
But I wouldn't worry. This kind of pomp is easily seen through, as is the phony counterculture of the Flea Party. Let them party! The real counterculture is Michele Malkin and the rest of the blogosphere. We won't lose. Time is an arrow.
FeFe| 6.14.12 @ 5:58PM
While Ms. Malkin is cutter than a button, and her entertaining facial expressions are reflective of my own sentiments in the era of Culture of Corruption (and rare on television in the entertainment/media cotillion of botox), I could not maintain decorum after this:
MALKIN: *faining - look left* "Bush!" *look right* "Bush!"
Such manna from heaven!