I'm writing this to call attention to a bit of depressing but bang-on analysis from Glenn Greenwald's latest on the Klein/FISA story. The saddest thing about the entire saga is the Democrats' inability to respond effectively (with the exception of Rush Holt), leaving it up to people like Greenwald, kos, etc., to correct the record.
Glenn's been so good on all the aspects of this story, it's easy to overlook his comments on the failure of the Democrats. He reports:
As was discussed today in comments, House Democrats -- who were the target of Time's false smearing -- have been inexcusably silent up until now. As I indicated, I spoke with several staffers on the day I first wrote about Klein's article, and they claimed to be livid about what was written, but failed -- even when I was requesting it -- to issue any public statement objecting to these falsehoods.
Later on, in the comments, Glenn expands a little:
I spoke with some of those staffers on the day I first wrote about Klein's article. They were livid about the flatly false characterizations from Klein about their bill. I tried to get them to issue statements, and they didn't seem to want to (which I found both annoying and revealing - why shouldn't they protest publicly after being smeared like that??), but some did suggest they would contact Klein. I have no idea if they did.
What is wrong with these people? Glenn provides more shocking perspective in an update:
UPDATE IV: Regarding the virtual silence from Democrats in the face of media assaults like the one Time launched here, consider this most amazing revelation, from The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz:
In his new memoir "No Excuses," veteran Democratic consultant Robert Shrum says Time columnist Joe Klein doubled as a "sometime adviser," and that the Massachusetts senator "craved his approval."
Klein "would chastise Kerry on the phone when he didn't like a speech, counseling both Kerry and me about what the candidate should say and what our strategy should be," down to the kind of health care plan the senator should propose, Shrum writes.
John Kerry "craved the approval" of Joe Klein. Most Beltway journalists fear conservatives. But those same journalists intimidate, mock and step on Democrats, because they know that Democrats "crave their approval."
Thus, the path of least resistance for media outlets is to do what Joe Klein does -- loyally pass on GOP-fed smears of Democrats, because they know that conservatives will pat them on the head for it, while Congressional Democrats not named "Rush Holt" will remain passive and silent, all in the hope that by doing so, the press will like them more and treat them better next time. That's why Rep. Holt's aggressive response to Time's falsehoods today was so impressive, and so rare.
This is what is wrong with the Democrats, in a nutshell. The party - the only alternative to the destructive GOP - refuses to fight back. They refuse to provide a counter-narrative. At least in their public face, they lack the courage of their convictions.
This is more of the same, refusing to impeach, refusing to hold the administration accountable in any meaningful way, refusing to stop an AG nominee who can't say what he thinks about torture, caving, caving, caving. The public face of the party is, "we're gonna be quiet as mice and win the White House by default."
And if a Democrat does win the presidency, the line will be, "See, our brilliant non-confrontational strategy worked out. Aren't you glad we didn't listen to you?" And if a Democrat DOESN'T win, the line will be, "This just goes to show how truly conservative America really is. Listening to you will never work. The lesson here is that we need to be more passive."
This recipe has failed over and over again. What will it take to get the D's into action?
Go read Glenn Greenwald.