David Broder is so consumed by the vision of Joementum and its hallmark view that supine collaboration with the worst elements of Gingrich/Roveism equals true bipartisanship that he actually believes that Col. McCormick's isolationist, anti-New Deal anti-Democratic Party Chicago Tribune of the 1930s is the equivalent of today's New York Times. Yes, the same NYT that today uncritically published a re-written Pentagon press release blaming Iran's leaders personally for attacks against American troops in Iraq - David Broder sees as stridently liberal.
Tonight the Museum of Broadcast Communications (located in Chicago) inducted Franklin Delano Roosevelt into its Hall of Fame. The event featured a recreation of FDR’s 1932 "New Deal Speech" by actor Robert Vaughn.
There was an All Star lineup of commentators to discuss FDR's significance and to lionize him. Presenters included Jonathan Alter (Newsweek), Michael Barone (U.S. News and World Report & Fox News), Cynthia Koch (Director, FDR Presidential Library & Museum), Stevenson Swanson (Chicago Tribune) and Juan Williams (NPR & Fox News).
David Broder was also a presenter. He gave a nice anecdote about growing up in Chicago Heights and the Depression. He said some nice things about FDR. But he slipped in a number of whoppers about the state of play in today's partisan arena. One of the biggest ones was saying that Col. McCormack's strongly personal and unmistakable editorial policy against the New Deal, against the Democratic Party and, specifically, against FDR whom he knew personally and disliked, is the equivalent of the current New York Times' editorial policy which occasionally says neutral things about liberals.
I can't wait for an end to the Joementum within the Democratic Party, let the Republicans have it.