Jim Hoagland on Cindy Sheehan

[Cocoa]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/17/AR2005081701843.html

<snip>

Unfortunately, Sheehan's personal tragedy is degenerating into farce or worse. She has become a celebrity whose divorce proceedings hit the wires this week to reverberate in the great national echo chamber. That "news" was quickly topped by a barbarian driving a pickup truck through a makeshift memorial of white crosses honoring fallen soldiers in Iraq.

<snip>

But her vigil risks becoming political theater disconnected from its larger purpose. This is an increasingly unsettling phenomenon in the Internet age, as political parties, lobby groups, the media and other institutions concentrate on spin more often than substance in politics.

<snip>

What is disturbing is that the national political discourse is increasingly detached from reality. The emotionalism and character assassination practiced by both sides -- the clamor in the echo chamber around Sheehan is only one example -- is mistaken for "politics."

<snip>

A vigil by a war victim's mother should be an act of devotion that transcends political theater. Bush owes Sheehan the respect of the meeting she seeks -- if she demonstrates that she will show him the respect any elected president deserves.



My email response:

Dear Jim,

Three things about your column.

First, why are you writing about her at all? You write for and about elites, not for and about people like Sheehan. If you should choose to interact with us, you should be doing the listening, not lecturing.

Second, your attempt to make it seem like you share Sheehan's "cause" are tranparently fake.

Finally, we know what your real objection to Sheehan's movement is, you want to keep it as it has been, where the people that have voices on the war and peace are the highly-placed Chalabi mouthpieces such as yourself and Judith Miller.

Thank you,

[Domitan]

1. Hoagland is our subtle Wormtongue

Whenever I read his posts that are reprinted in my local newspaper, I get a feeling of a mouthpiece for the "unseen" elite who attempts to influence the tide of events with his whispers. I don't see him as a Bushbot apologist or a wise critic of the administration...but someone who attempts to bring forth a "respectable" front for the neo-con agenda. He consistently proffers suggested courses of actions that would benefit the American Empire, but without the "freeper stupidity". At first glance, Hoagland may seem reasonable and measured...until you begin to realize what he may really stand for.

Furthermore, his lizardlike appearance does not help detract me from sensing something sinister.

[tsuki]

3. The Conservative Agenda. eom

[ixion]

2. This guy reminds me of Friedman, in that

a) can't write a decent sentence, nor, apparently, complete a thought, and;

b) (poorly) argues Sheehan's case while simultaneously dogging her in the process.


How does this guy keep finding work? :shrug:

[Domitan]

4. You nailed it

that's how they find work: wormtonguing. Being ambiguous enough to satisfy readers from both ends of the political spectrum, while at the same time, showing underlying support for the neocon agenda.

[izzie]

5. As I watch I think she should leave. Not sure why.

It may be a personal thing as I go to ground when any one I care for dies. Yet I see her point and she has made it. Bush can only sit it out and it becomes an un-tasteful side show as he hides. No one may win any more than she has right now.

[Cocoa]

6. Hoagland is insinuating himself with you

and with me and with anyone who is concerned about Sheehan and her cause.

Regarding your doubts or mine about how far she should go, I think we should take comfort in Cindy's extraordinary judgement and character. Whatever she decides, it's a pretty good bet it'll be a good decision.

But one thing we for sure can't do is fall for phonies like Hoagland who pretend to share our concern. Hoagland doesn't even live on the same planet as you or me or Sheehan, he lives on the planet of the elites with Friedman and Chalabi and Richard Perle.

[izzie]

7. I guess a lot of my feeling are that I would not do it and

I do think she has made her point. The President looks like a wimp. If any one should be able to stand up to her it is the most powerful man on earth and he will not do it. I mean she is one lone women and they look like they are moving the 'mean team' out to get her. I just hate to see any thing bad happen to her and I am willing to bet they will pull 'a Wilson' on her.