Et Tu, <I>TNR</I>?
The mini-orgy of
media-bashing in this space two days ago made kausfiles seem like
the organ of some irritable neoconservative rebelling against the dominance of
sentimental liberalism--someone like Hilton Kramer, maybe, or David Horowitz,
or Martin Peretz. Full disclosure: I used to work for Marty Peretz, consider
him a friend, and still eagerly read his magazine, the New Republic . In
fact, the Dec. 27 issue of TNR just arrived ... wait a minute, what's
this? Can it be ... a really dumb liberal article in a magazine that's supposed
to avoid reflexive anti-right politics, that sees itself as the puncturer of
leftish cant?
I'm referring to Jim VandeHei's article "Bottom of the Barrel" (overline: "Where the GOP is
finding its candidates."). VandeHei's thesis is that these are such "desperate
times" for House Republicans that they are sifting through the dregs, dragging
in "desperation candidates" from the ranks of celebrities. VandeHei's evidence?
Rep. Tom Davis, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee,
tried to recruit Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, former guitarist for the Doobie Brothers,
to run in California. He also talked to Fred Hemmings, a Hawaiian surfing
champion, Bob Backlund, a former pro wrestler, Noble Willingham, a television
and movie actor, and others "from the lower rungs of the celebrity food
chain."
VandeHei is probably right to think the Republicans are in deep, deep
trouble in their fight to retain control of the House. But his piece doesn't do
anything to prove it. For one thing, although VandeHei calls Baxter and
Hemmings Davis' "recruits," in fact they aren't running. (The districts
they were considering would be safely Democratic even in a better year for the
GOP.) More important, even VandeHei eventually admits they wouldn't be
particularly unqualified: Baxter, he notes, is a "defense maven" who has
"written for Jane's Intelligence Review " and "chairs a ballistic missile
defense advisory group for Representative Curt Weldon." Hemmings is a former
state representative. How are they the "bottom of the barrel"?
It's pretty clear that we're supposed to laugh at Davis and the
Republicans--well, because they're Republicans. It's not as if Democrats have
never nominated minor TV actors for Congress--remember Rep. Ben "Cooter" Jones
of the Dukes of Hazzard and Georgia's 4 th Congressional
District? And which party was it again whose local leaders wanted to run Jerry
Springer for Senate in Ohio? VandeHei gives the game away when he complains
that Davis is also trying to recruit such obvious low-lifes as "Adam Putnam, a
25-year-old state representative" in Florida. Can you believe it? Running a
local politician for Congress! That's really scraping the bottom!
Why didn't any editor at TNR stop and think: Hold on. State reps
have been running for Congress since the beginning of the republic. That's
where Congressmen come from! Because there's no payoff in being merciful to
House Republicans. I've been at too many parties lately with too many
respectable Washington journalists who seem to think the name "Tom DeLay" is
enough to bring any argument to a snorting, chuckling halt. Add to that the
press's non-ideological, but still unattractive, contempt for likely losers,
and you get an atmosphere in which the House GOPs are fair game for cheap
shots.
Note to Marty: Please don't complain to your new editor, Peter Beinart, about the amateurish
VandeHei piece. Beinart's just started. And there'll be so many other important
things to talk to him about in the coming months!
