A Spork in the Drawer

Honestly...

In reference to the absurd Baker-Christopher recommendations on just who gets to declare war in this country the criminally addlepated David Broder asks:

The Founders left a ton of confusion about a pretty important question: Who has the authority to make war?

Ok, again, Article I Section 8:

The Congress shall have power to to declare war

Got that? Again:

The Congress shall have power to to declare war

Now in fairness, Broder, like Baker and Christopher, gets confused when you put this up against the whole "The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States" thing but that doesn't say anything about the president having the power to declare war.

So just who does have that power?

The Congress shall have power to to declare war

One more time for those in the back rows:

The Congress shall have power to to declare war

Apparently, spending time at Georgetown cocktail parties rots the brain. Maybe it's the canapés. Somebody should check.

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Electrifying

TBogg reads David "The Dean" Broder and concludes:

If the terrorists are smart, they will give up on trying to attack us and just sit back and wait, because eventually our entire country is going to be so stupid that people will start sticking their tongues in wall sockets just to see what electricity tastes like.

That's some quality snark and it has the added benefit of being true.

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Why Predicting And Cluelessness Don't Mix

By way of Pony Boy we see that Harris has found:

This pessimistic attitude is not just towards the country as a whole. Just one-quarter (26%) of Americans give President Bush positive ratings on his job while just under three-quarters (72%) give him negative ratings. This is down from February when 28 percent gave him positive marks and 69 percent have him negative ones. This current rating also ties his lowest ever positive rating which was first reached in July of 2007.

Whenever I see one of these presidential popularity poll I think back to this David Broder column published on 16 February, 2007 - well over a year ago:

It may seem perverse to suggest that, at the very moment the House of Representatives is repudiating his policy in Iraq, President Bush is poised for a political comeback. But don't be astonished if that is the case.

It should be noted that Broder still has his job.

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The Stupidest Man In The World

Via attaturk, the WaPo's David Broder chats:

Raleigh, N.C.: What do you think of turning to the Petraeus report? Is it already tainted?

washingtonpost.com: An Early Clash Over Iraq Report (Post, Aug. 16)

David S. Broder: No. I expect him to be characteristically honest and balanced.

Except that Petraeus isn't actually going the write the thing.

At least "The Dean" admits he's a propagandist.

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It's Time To Retire, Davey

Today the "Dean" complains about politicians going on about politicians being out of touch with the people. Quoth Broder:

Let a reporter who is not running for anything suggest that exactly the opposite may be true: A particularly virulent strain of populism has made official Washington altogether too responsive to public opinion.

[...]

In today's Washington, a badly weakened president and a dangerously compliant congressional leadership are no match for the power of public opinion -- magnified and sometimes exaggerated by modern communications and interest group pressure.

Davey is complaining specifically about the defeat of immigration legislation (those meddling rightists!) and "fast-track" authority (those meddling leftists!) Once again Broder stakes out the "sensible" middle - as defined by David Broder.

But what Davey is really complaining about, as he does so often, is that the People just won't shut up.

Where is the endless stream of columns complaining about corporate domination of the government? Where is the endless stream of columns complaining about public officials lining their own pockets? Where is the endless stream of columns complaining about the Constitution being shredded?

No, you'll not hear anything from Davey about these problems. Now and forevermore the problem will be that not enough people think like Davey and his friends. And now and forevermore the "sensible" middle will remain firmly in Davey's own being.

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ADDED: Attaturk has his say, as does BooMan.

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Airborne Swine

Astounding. David "The Dean" Broder actually gets something right:

Republican presidential candidates -- most of whom have pledged to continue both Bush policies -- are on notice. They are betting on losing policies.

Truly a banner day.

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Shorter David Broder

The Democrats want fair elections. Stupid Democrats!

Idiot.

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Stop David Broder

Utterly clueless:

After years of cozying up to the man in the White House, and emerging (for better or worse) as the most eloquent defender of Bush's current strategy in Iraq, McCain this week reverted suddenly and dramatically to his 1999-2000 role as the leading Republican critic of politics as usual.

[...]

But for John McCain, there must be at least some relief now in being able to speak his own mind -- whatever the consequences. Candor, even belatedly, becomes him.

Broder must be the most clueless person in Washington DC.

And it has always been thus: See this gem from 1969.

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Astounding

The rumors were true: David "The Dean" Broder has hit bottom, broken through that bottom, and has found a whole new bottom:

Here's a Washington political riddle where you fill in the blanks: As Alberto Gonzales is to the Republicans, Blank Blank is to the Democrats -- a continuing embarrassment thanks to his amateurish performance.

If you answered " Harry Reid," give yourself an A. And join the long list of senators of both parties who are ready for these two springtime exhibitions of ineptitude to end.

The Dean goes on to list the "gaffes" - as he calls them - that Harry Reid has committed. Note to David: Alan Greenspan was "one of the biggest political hacks we have here in Washington."

In the process Broder manages to attack Chuck Schumer and Chris Dodd as well.

Back to Reid:

Given the way the Constitution divides warmaking power between the president, as commander in chief, and Congress, as sole source of funds to support the armed services, it is essential that at some point Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi be able to negotiate with the White House to determine the course America will follow until a new president takes office.

David: The White House doesn't negotiate. It orders. That you haven't figured this out yet shows that you're a hack.

David: Have you seen this poll out just this morning?

President Bush's approval rating slipped to new lows in the most recent Harris Interactive survey, but he's not alone: For the first time since the series began, all of the political figures and institutions included in the survey have negative performance ratings.

Of the 1,001 American adults polled online April 20-23, only 28% had a positive view of Mr. Bush's job performance, down from 32% in February and from a high of 88% in the aftermath of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The current rating is his weakest showing since his inauguration. [Via watertiger.]

28%, David, 28%.

David, you may have a great reporter at one time but it's time that you realize that you've grown old and intellectually lazy. Don't you think it's time to retire and enjoy your sunset years? You could take up wood-working or maybe learn how to tie fishing flies.

But whatever you decide, David, you're obsolete. It's time to realize that.

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Note To David Broder

Retire already.

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Shockingly Clueless

Then again, maybe not so shocking if we're talking about David Broder. In his column today The Dean laments the bad week the news media had recently - specifically, Imus and the rush to judgment in the Duke Lacrosse case. In the midst of his handwringing we find this:

I had never heard Imus's broadcast, because I am a longtime fan of NPR's "Morning Edition," which is on at the same time. I was stunned to learn how many of the journalists I admire had been regular guests on the program. Many are now having a hard time explaining their association.

David Broder, The Dean of the Washington press corpse, was stunned - stunned! - to learn how many of his colleagues appeared on Imus' show.

This certainly explains a lot about Broder and his ilk. They. Really. Are. Utterly. Clueless.

Davey concludes with two questions:

When will we start to think about the people who are hurt by our coverage? And when will we take our responsibilities seriously?

Look into the mirror, Davey, look into the mirror.

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ADDED: Greg Sargent has similar thoughts.

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Question

Is David Broder now senile or is he just willfully stupid?

"The Dean" gets a well-deserved Wanker of the Day award from Atrios.

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Broder Redux

Attaturk checked in on David Broder's WaPo chat today and finds this:

Charlotte, N.C.: Do you think Bush ever can recover his public standing? Iraq's not going away, and the only presidents who were ever this unpopular this late in their terms -- and for so long -- were Truman during Korea and Carter during 1979-80. Not good models for winning the people over. And remember that the people stood by Bill Clinton during Lewinsky, even if Washington didn't.

David S. Broder: Hello to everyone. Yes, I thiink it is possible for President Bush to recover some of his political standing. In a column today, I argue that he is poised to do so. If you want to talk historical precdents, remember to include President Eisenhower who was ruined in the sixth year by ZIran-contra and recovered fully by the end of his term. The real challenge to Bush is Iraq, and I see little ground for optimism there.

Can you spot what's wrong with Broder's answer? Good, I knew you could!

Is there any doubt that he should be put out to pasture?

And Broder makes a prediction:

Reading, Pa.: David: When President Bush replaced Don Rumsfeld with Bob Gates, wasn't this a clear signal of his intentions given Gates' extensive knowledge of Iran? Why is Congress so indignant now -- aren't they aware of what's going on? Or can't they hear the drumbeats of war like the rest of the nation?

David S. Broder: Some in Congress hear that drumbeat clearly. I do not. I think Secretary Gates and the President recognize the risks in a war with Iran and will try to avoid it.

We shall see.

And as for Valerie Plame:

Re: Plame: How far do you think the Wilsons will get with their civil suit?

David S. Broder: I have no idea. If you think I'm not terribly interested in this story, you'd be right.

Ah, the wisdom of the "Dean" of the Washington Press Corpse.

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An Open Letter

Dear David Broder -

Please retire.

Hugs & kisses,

spork

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Nothing Can Get Them Fired

Literally. David Broder writes:

One of the losers in the weekend oratorical marathon was retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who repeatedly invoked the West Point motto of "Duty, Honor, Country," forgetting that few in this particular audience have much experience with, or sympathy for, the military. [...]

Does Davey have any data to back that up? Surveys, polls, what have you? Of course not.

Oliver Willis:

That's just a boldfaced lie by Broder, no two ways about it. I happened to be in attendance at the speech in question, just a stone's throw away from General Clark when he gave it. What David Broder is saying here is an absolute lie. The crowd in attendance stood on their feet, clapped their hands loudly and strongly time and time again when speakers - including Gen. Clark - invoked the service and sacrifice of America's fighting men and women.

As Oliver says, David Broder is a filthy liar.

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