The Hunting of the Snark
I have not yet seen a copy of my former boss's memoirs, Decision Points. Nor was I involved in its writing in any way. So I can't speak to what's inside it.
However, I did read the review that ran in the New York Times today, which reads like a string of cocktail party snark. I leave the psychoanalysis to others. What jumps out about this review, however, is that it never mentions 9/11. Remember this is supposed to be the *New York* Times. Whatever else you might say about the Bush presidency, and you can argue with the policy, the most obvious fact of his Administration was that it was defined by the attacks of 9/11. As a former WH colleague put it, not mentioning that 9/11 in this review would be like not mentioning Pearl Harbor in a retrospective about FDR. Is that a service to their readers?
George W. Bush never forgot that, even if the folks at 40th and 8th have.
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May '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
I'm shocked and stunned. /saracsm
Another reminder of why they are having to reverse-mortgage their building to stay afloat.
Aug '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Maybe it's time to take staff of the NYT on a snipe hunt ?
Or is that redundant.
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Read it for yourself. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/04/books/04book.html?sq=decision%20points&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1288904403-ZcKm5prvIgnsdZzxbkWX3A
It's like an attitude checklist.
Jul '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Well, at least they didn't suggest that GW wrote it with crayons.
Oct '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
I can dimly remember a time when the New York Times was still worth reading, despite its overly leftward slant. Hell, I even had a subscription at one point. But nowadays, I couldn't be paid to read it, and that so-called review of Decision Points is a perfect illustration of why.
May '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
"self conscious effort to re-shape his legacy"?
That's happened already without any effort on the part of Mr. Bush. At what point in the last 2 years was Bush out there debating and arguing about his policies? As he quoted Ecclesiastes 9:11 in his first inaugural address: "but time and chance happen to them all"
A book written by a man who liberated 60 million being reviewed by "the stupidest person in new york"....UGH
Jul '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Ugh. It's a classic Michiko Kakutani review, designed with great skill to reinforce and comfort the prejudices of the readers of the New York Times. Since that's the purpose of the entire newspaper, Ms. Kakutani shows great company spirit.
Note, also, how much of it could have been written without every having to read the memoir. It's like a mind vomit of everything she already thought about George W. Bush...though no doubt cleaned up a lot.
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Kenneth, good point. But there's still time -- in the Sunday books section!
Robert, exactly right: looks like quotations were plugged into a review written before the book was even finished.
Oct '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Bill McGurn
Kenneth, good point. But there's still time -- in the Sunday books section!
Robert, exactly right: looks like quotations were plugged into a review written before the book was even finished. · Nov 4 at 2:21pm
Good writing ability is no qualification for employment at the Times. Nowhere was that more evident than with David Cay Johnston's work.
Aug '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Duranty Pulitzer ,pride in covering up genocide.
WW II -# of front pages articles about Holocaust - 12 , pride in covering up genocide.
Cultural revolution , somebody ought to check to see if they ever criticized Mao on front page.
Humm..... these guy's standards are incredibly low.
Finances ? Slim to none. it'll be a progressive pun soon.
WSJ gonna eat em for breakfast, after all , they're toast.
Or as we say here in flyover: (selfcensored) 'em if they can't take a joke.
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Well, I'd intended to make a point by showing a contrast to how the Times reviewed Clinton's My Life, but I discovered 1) Kakutani wrote that one, also, and that 2), she shreds Clinton, too.
Aug '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Maybe she was blindsided about 9/11?Poop happens,after all.
May '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
As Robert touched on, The New York Times provides but one service to its readers: reinforcing their leftist worldview. That they also provide daily examples of "mainstream" media bias for anyone with eyes to see is a happy coincidence!
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
When you do get a chance to read the book, Bill, write a review of it for us here at Ricochet!
And if by some stroke of great fortune Peter Robinson manages to book President Bush on Uncommon Knowledge, I will volunteer to do all of the research and writing for the show gratis (provided I get to meet the man).
Aug '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Bill, You're a very lucky guy to have worked for Bush . What an incredible family, real depth of character. Any chance you have Jeb's email ? There are a few of us that would like to ask him to think about something .
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Afraid I don't have Jeb Bush contact info.
I'll have to see about getting GWB on Uncommon Knowledge.
As for Times, the feedback here is striking. As a news source, Times is less and less interesting. As a leading indicator, it gives a window into a certain subculture.
May '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
I'm with flownover and Diane. I have tremendous affection and respect for GWB. I also think that he has been very much ill-treated by many on the Right, to the detriment of us all.
I am looking forward to getting the book, and also Jay Nordlinger's upcoming biography of W. Like me, Jay is very much an admirer.
And I'm the only one here, I suspect, who defends the steel, Dubai ports, NCLB, and Medicare part D decisions.
Aug '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
GWB is a gentleman but not a snob. BO was no gentleman at the SOTU and on numerous other occasions,And his intellectual snobbery aka elitism knows no bounds.These may not be the most important elements of a President's personality,but they are not unimportant.
Jul '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Mentioning 9/11 would have created an unacceptable risk that some reader, somewhere, might experience a pang of symphathy with President Bush.
It's just too horrible to contemplate.
Aug '10
Re: The Hunting of the Snark
Duane Oyen:
I am looking forward to getting the book, and also Jay Nordlinger's upcoming biography of W. Like me, Jay is very much an admirer.
I hadn't heard that Nordlinger was working on a W bio. Thanks for the heads up. I have a lot of respect for both the former president and for Jay's writing.