Every now and then, David Brooks makes sense. Today is one of those days, in his column at the NY Times, Liberal Suicide Watch:
It’s not that interesting to watch the Democrats lose touch with America. That’s because the plotline is exactly the same. The party is led by insular liberals from big cities and the coasts, who neither understand nor sympathize with moderates. They have their own cherry-picking pollsters, their own media and activist cocoon, their own plans to lavishly spend borrowed money to buy votes….
We’re only in the early stages of the liberal suicide march, but there already have been three phases. First, there was the stimulus package…. Then there is the budget…. Finally, there is health care. Every cliché Ann Coulter throws at the Democrats is gloriously fulfilled by the Democratic health care bills.
Now I could quibble with Brooks over some points, such as the argument that liberals ever were in touch with America. But generally, at least as to the direction the Democrats are heading, Brooks got it correct.
But I don’t know how long Brooks can keep this up. On March 3, 2009, Brooks issued his Moderate Manifesto, in which he declared “Barack Obama is not who we thought he was.” That declaration was a re-write of history, as Brooks and other normally sane voters had deluded themselves into thinking that Obama was a moderate. Nonetheless, Brooks’ mea culpa was a valuable turning point.
But then Brooks picked up the phone, receiving several phone calls from White House officials taking Brooks to task over the March 3 column. Days later, Brooks backtracked in a column titled When Obamatons Attack, in which Brooks devoted his column to explaining why he was wrong:
On Tuesday, I wrote that the Obama budget is a liberal, big government document that should make moderates nervous. The column generated a large positive response from moderate Obama supporters who are anxious about where the administration is headed. It was not so popular inside the White House. Within a day, I had conversations with four senior members of the administration and in the interest of fairness, I thought I’d share their arguments with you today.
Mr. Brooks, your column today was correct. You showed backbone, insight, and a willingness to acknowledge what everyone knows about the Obama administration agenda.
Mr. Brooks, do not pick up the phone. Your country needs you.
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Related Posts:
Brooks Back On Board The Obama Ship Of State
Brooks: “Barack Obama Is Not Who We Thought He Was” – Oh Yes He Is
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