Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
The Logo ·
Jul 22, 2010 at 12:08pm
Rob Long, Peter Robinson, and James Lileks are joined this week by Istanbul based contributor Claire Berlinski (AKA, Queen of Comments) and WSJ editorial writer Joe Rago. We cover pesky software updates, The List, Mitt, Breitbart, Mac v. PC, and the lessons we should learn from the Massachusetts health care reform experience.
Ricochet Rundown:
00:00 - 03:02 Opening Chat
03:02 - 15:07 Journo-List
15:07 - 35:17 Claire Berlinski, Queen of Comments
35:20 - 1:03:10 Joe Rago, WSJ
1:04 - Closing Chat
Links from this week's show:
- The Journo-List discussion on Ricochet by Rob Long and Bill McGurn
- Fred Barnes' WSJ piece The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy
- Martini Shot is Rob's weekly commentary for L.A.'s public radio outlet, KCRW
- Claire's past love affair with pot is documented here
- Joe Rago's WSJ Op-Ed on RomneyCare
- Claire and friends debate whether or not to Ban The Burqa
- Comment (21)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (3)
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Comments :
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
You know, that is not even at all the most interesting of my past love affairs.
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Post it! The Logo predicts a new commenting record will be set.
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Yes, yes, Logo Sweetie. That was the joke.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Hopefully, Mr. Carlson et al are have set aside some really juicy bits for tomorrow.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Darn, I scewed up that little comment. At any rate, I listen to the Podcast at 5 a.m. on Saturdays while completing a weekly chore. I follow it up with John Derbeyshire's excellent offering at NR.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
If Macs are journalists, then PCs are Tea Party goers.
I guess I'll kick off the grumpy side of the conversation.
I recommend reading Immaculée Ilibagiza's first-hand account of the Rwanda genocide. It makes a critical point that conservatives (and a particular NPR-loving podcaster) need to absorb: even "lovely" and "charming" people can do horrific things when demonization of the opposition becomes mainstream politics. Neighbors who used to invite you over for tea might become the very people hunting for you with machetes.
During the American civil war, family members shot each other and cursed each other as traitors. I'm sure they knew one another as lovely people beforehand. That didn't prevent many, including civilians, from dying in prison camps.
And that's why my greatest concern about JournoList is not the state of journalism, but the growing cultural movement in America that discourages moral consideration of one's political opponents. America is not immune from the darker potentials of human nature.
As for Romney, surely, we would be fools to assume that Romneycare is a fluke. If he's open to that decidely unfree market approach, what else is he open to?
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
So...(in the very distinctive way Mr. Long says that)... where are the Ricochet t-shirts?!
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
AR, I really like Mitt Romney, and want to believe there is an acceptable explanation for what MR did. The 10th Amendment angle doesn't go far enough to eliminate my queasiness; I'm still waiting for more, or, perhaps a mea culpa. Romney definitely needs to say more, and soon.
One possible Mittigating circumstance is that if Romney vetoed the legislation, an even worse version of the legislation would have come along.
Another Mittigating reality is that much of what Romneycare did was redirect federal medicaid funds more efficiently; is MA worse off than, say, NY right now on any level?
Another Mittigating reality is that Romneycare, is, ultimately not much more than a state income tax increase that one can opt-out of with private insurance; it's not Evil Socialism docking in USA for the first time, which is what many right of center imply.
Even after all of the above, I can't support Romneycare, but I'm not sure it should negate potential support for a Mitt Romney Presidential bid. But it does hurt, especially since if Romney can win the GOP, Primaries he has, by far the best shot to defeat President Obama.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
You all make it perishingly hard to find the link to download the mp3.
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Nick, you make a good point. From now on we'll include the link in the post itself. In the mean time, you can always find it in the right-hand column on the front page. Or even better, subscribe to the podcast and it will automagically be delivered to you each week as soon as it is released.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
I met Mitt a few months ago in Michigan. It's the third time I've fallen in love, the second with a human. He's got a tinge of awkwardness to him, which eased my nerves and a few others. So far I've taken his car magnet (didn't specify a year - how's that for thinking ahead?) through 17,000 miles and two keyed car doors. If he can take it, so can the sedan.
I've eaten spinach-laced, soy soaked tofu on a first date. These healthcare bills are awful, but can we really blame Mitt for some overflexibility? You say he goes with the flow - the flow's clearly in the direction of our side (*cough* 11% *cough*) (real cough, I'm on "Romneycare"; not really); are you sure he won't work?
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Hey, what happened to the part where we talked about how wonderful Judith is? I wanted her to hear that!
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Oh, and Logo -- I'm persuaded about the headset. I know what I said and I still couldn't understand myself. We're working on solving this, everyone. Sorry about that. If anyone else had trouble hearing me, it's not because I'm in a far-away land; it's because I don't have a headset. (But I don't have a headset because I'm in a far-away land, so I guess it's fair to blame that.)
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Gosh, I just listened to the Podcast (while on the 4 Train, and shopping in Trader Joe's in Union Square--I know you wanted to know that). That was one of the harshest and incisive takedowns of Mitt Romney I've ever heard. For some counterpoint, I would like to hear someone who could explain how/if MA's health insurance regime has changed since Romney left office; and whether anything was added/changed over Romney's veto.
Mr. Rago failed to mention that if things are better in other similarly-situated states, NY, for example...
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Claire, I was wondering if you were skyping from a submarine with your kitties in tow because I swear I heard a sonar ping. Even so, I did understand you pretty much the whole time, Your Majesty. Queen of Comments is a very apt moniker. And the last few mega comments haven't had anything to do with Palin!
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Sorry, but I'm with Joe when he was describing Mitt Romney toward the end of his time on the podcast. Nope, I don't know Mr. Romney. I've never been in a room with him. He just makes me very uncomfortable. Based on his history, he strikes me as someone who will just about do or say anything to get elected and stay in office. Our nation needs less of that type and more of the type who are straightforward about who they are - like McDaniel. My sense is not so much that Romney doesn't know who he is. Rather, Romney is sitting with a wet finger in the air and then eagerly charges in the direction the wind is blowing. I remember being very disappointed in NR for endorsing Romney. But then again... the alternative was cranky Mr. McCain...
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Two subjects of my reactions. Two separate posts.
Queen Claire: any trademark such as this is going to be turned into an acronym and the short form will inevitably take over, e.g, “BTW”, etc. In oral discourse, one has to look for the proper usage.
Three alternatives have been variously expressed: “Queen of Comments”, “Queen of the Comments”, and “Queen of Ricochet Comments”. The last is clearly the winner. Why?
1) Queen of the Comments- Difficult to vocalize- is it a hard (K) or soft (S) “C”? Since QOTC has no “U” to give the “kw” sound, the “Q” must be a “K” as well- so you either have “KOTIK” or “KOTS”. The former is ugly, the latter may have a bad connotation for a queen, especially if she is young and beautiful.
2) Queen of Comments- See above. Either “KOS”, which no conservative will accept, or …. Never mind.
3) Queen of Ricochet Comments- Either “KORS” or “KORK”. The last is perfect for ruling. If a proletarian commenter gets out of line, the imperious empress can tell him to “Stick a QORC in it, buster.”
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
RomneyCare: May I remind everyone that the original bill was designed by the Heritage Foundation- then changed in the legislature to make it “more fair”.
Romney’s mistake was not trying to do something, it was his failure to veto it when the terms changed in crucial ways. Details matter. His instincts were right in going to Heritage for help, and the fact that he tried to address the legitimate problem is not a black mark, in fact, the fact that conservatives have refused to seriously and strategically address the very real issue is the biggest reason we now have a national disaster enacted into law.
Romney’s fatal technocratic flaw was ambition: he wanted an “achievement” to run on in his presidential campaign. His failure now is that he hasn’t disavowed it- that is pure ego. If he now admitted that he had made a mistake and explained where it went off the rails, then criticized ObamaCare the same way, he would show good sense, and humility- the humanized ability to learn from one’s mistakes. If he can’t do that, he needs to get lost. If he can, he is a decent guy.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Wait, RomneyCare and ObamaCare are identical?! I believe most people are well enough informed to know that there are marked distinctions. Also, I'd like to know how Mr. Rago backs up his claim that most people who care about health policy are on the left. There are some glaring inequalities and inefficiencies that RomneyCare and ObamaCare attempted (unsuccessfully) to address. Those problems still must be addressed by a Republican led Congress or President. So, if that means we must get in the weeds, then we do so. But let's not overgeneralize to diminish the opposing view. We need a reasoned and responsible debate on healthcare.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #26: The List and Mitt
Add Ms. Berlinski's views regarding the aphrodisiacal qualities of marijuana and she'll be one of the most followed contributors.