Comments on: The Defensive Crouch Meets The Defensive Cringe http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/27/the-defensive-crouch-meets-the-defensive-cringe/ n. the principle of good order<br /><br /> "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:22:40 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Grumpy Old Man http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/27/the-defensive-crouch-meets-the-defensive-cringe/comment-page-1/#comment-14447 Grumpy Old Man Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:34:36 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/27/the-defensive-crouch-meets-the-defensive-cringe/#comment-14447 I won't smoke crack, but I do a little Meth every now and then, just to show I'm one of the guys. I won’t smoke crack, but I do a little Meth every now and then, just to show I’m one of the guys.

]]> By: James_Nostack http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/27/the-defensive-crouch-meets-the-defensive-cringe/comment-page-1/#comment-14446 James_Nostack Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:06:26 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/27/the-defensive-crouch-meets-the-defensive-cringe/#comment-14446 As someone who is in this demographic, I think this is pretty much exactly right. Obama is offering far less change in foreign policy than one would wish. But there <i>is</i> one point where he differs from other Democratic Party politicians: by and large, he has not panicked when the opposition party know-nothings try to call him weak on defense. For the last seven years, this charge has struck terror into the Democratic leadership, and it has been nauseating to watch their desperate attempt to curry favor with bullies who despise them. The John Kerry campaign was <i>awful</i> this way, but the Democratic Congressional leadership hasn't been much better. To say they were a bunch of sniveling worms is unfair to worms. Obama has been far from perfect here. To some extent, as you note, his currying favor with bloodthirsty nitwits has been entirely pre-emptive (Iran, Pakistan). And every once in a while, he caves on very important principles (FISA, Georgia) just like Kerry did. But he's <i>still</i> the strongest-willed Democratic politician since at least 1996, and that's a little bit refreshing: it indicates that maybe, if he does well enough, the Democratic Party just might decide it's safe to crawl out from under the bed, which would probably be good for the nation. (I don't think that's likely, but if Obama loses, it's not even conceivable.) As someone who is in this demographic, I think this is pretty much exactly right.

Obama is offering far less change in foreign policy than one would wish. But there is one point where he differs from other Democratic Party politicians: by and large, he has not panicked when the opposition party know-nothings try to call him weak on defense.

For the last seven years, this charge has struck terror into the Democratic leadership, and it has been nauseating to watch their desperate attempt to curry favor with bullies who despise them. The John Kerry campaign was awful this way, but the Democratic Congressional leadership hasn’t been much better. To say they were a bunch of sniveling worms is unfair to worms.

Obama has been far from perfect here. To some extent, as you note, his currying favor with bloodthirsty nitwits has been entirely pre-emptive (Iran, Pakistan). And every once in a while, he caves on very important principles (FISA, Georgia) just like Kerry did. But he’s still the strongest-willed Democratic politician since at least 1996, and that’s a little bit refreshing: it indicates that maybe, if he does well enough, the Democratic Party just might decide it’s safe to crawl out from under the bed, which would probably be good for the nation. (I don’t think that’s likely, but if Obama loses, it’s not even conceivable.)

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