Wednesday, July 27, 2011

David Brooks vs. David Brooks

Kevin Drum writes David Brooks vs. David Brooks pointing out his changes in positions day by day.

"Just yesterday I was telling a friend who likes Brooks that I'm not a Brooks hater. I'm still not. But honest to God, I've never seen a columnist who's so schizophrenic. One day we've failed because Republicans are just shy of insane, the next we've failed because Obama screwed up the negotiating process. It's like some part of him rebels whenever he finally admits to himself what the modern conservative movement has become. I wonder what it will take for him to finally figure it out for good?"

This Economist blog goes after Brooks too for his statements about Obama scolding the Republicans.

"So let me get this straight. On Mr Brooks' telling, Mr Obama scolded Congressional leaders like a bunch of teenagers. They responded by beginning negotiations with each other which, he thinks, are more likely to produce a deal. He scolded them, and they started doing their jobs. This "unintended consequence" of Mr Obama's actions proves that his scolding was a grave mistake."

"The notion that our political leaders are mainly driven by such considerations is itself infantilising; I would hope that John Boehner is insulted by Mr Brooks' accusation that his negotiating stance is largely driven by whether Mr Obama was nice to him or not."

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