The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Sometimes, the logistics of printing a magazine get you into trouble. This month, the Washingtonian magazine has a glowing, laudatory profile of Dominique Strauss Kahn.
In between sending the issue to the printers and getting it to newsstands and subscribers, there was a little incident at the Sofitel in Manhattan.
The piece was quickly amended online, but it's worth reading the whole thing. It smacks -- in light of recent events, and especially in light of his past history -- of the kind of puff-piece, sucking-up pseudo journalism that a lot of leftist, bien pensant world figures get treated to. The profile was meant, in the editor's words:
...to introduce Strauss-Kahn’s neighbors here in Washington to a man considered one of Europe’s leading politicians—a man, as we say in the article, who might well be standing next to you in line at Whole Foods.
Sometimes bad timing tells you more than good timing.
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Next to me at Whole Foods? Man, I hope he's washed his hands.
Oct '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Slightly off-topic, but I was surprised to hear Ben Stein, (yes, our conservative Ben Stein) defending Strauss-Kahn. Reminds me of the time Norman Mailer , impressed by a convict's writing, got him released from jail whereupon he stabbed someone. In other words, I think Stein and Strauss-Kahn having in common a Phd. in Economics caused Stein to have a bias, which was exacerbated by his elitist contempt or disdain for the chambermaid.
Dec '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
I just wanted to comment on your deft use of bien pensant, Rob.
It's one of my favorite phrases in the last few years.
It really captures the Zeitgeist.
Aug '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Unfortunately I fear that scumballs like DSK are all too common in the vaunted halls of power in our society. Not that they would all force themselves on some poor maid, of course, but they seem more than willing to cheat and steal and defraud.
It's their right as elitists, after all!
Edited on May 23, 2011 at 11:38amFeb '11
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Right up there with the Vanity Fair piece on Mrs. Bashar Assad.
May '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
And his last words to Washingtonian reporter Apolline de Malherbe was,"Quel beau cul!"?
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
What I really love about your quote, Rob, is the belief that standing in line at Whole Foods implies some sort of moral and intellectual superiority. Give me Trader Joe's any day.
May '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
My gut response to the allegations was to wonder if our government might be involved as a method of intimidating the IMF and warning similar groups from raising doubts about America's credit worthiness. Chicago politics is to be expected, right?
Americans (and human beings worldwide, I suspect) have a bad habit of assuming allegations are true until proven otherwise, out of instinctual sympathy for supposed victims. When politics is involved, nothing should be accepted at face value.
Jul '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Stein has veered lately. He's advocated taxing the rich, while shuttling between his Malibu beach house and his Beverly Hills digs. I fear he has, as the saying goes, gone native.
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
AmishDude: I just wanted to comment on your deft use of bien pensant, Rob.
It's one of my favorite phrases in the last few years.
It really captures the Zeitgeist. · May 23 at 11:32am
I'm glad somebody noticed. Too often, my bon mots go unnoticed.
Jan '11
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
"Sometimes bad timing tells you more than good timing."
Touché, Mr. Long.
Aug '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Denise - to a leftist, EVERYTHING a leftist does implies moral and intellectual superiority.
Feb '11
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Rob Long
AmishDude: I just wanted to comment on your deft use of bien pensant, Rob.
It's one of my favorite phrases in the last few years.
It really captures the Zeitgeist. · May 23 at 11:32am
I'm glad somebody noticed. Too often, my bon mots go unnoticed. · May 23 at 12:19pm
pas de tout.
Feb '11
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
My quip was going to be: I didn't know they had Whole Foods on Rikers Island.
Dec '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Rob Long
AmishDude: I just wanted to comment on your deft use of bien pensant, Rob.
It's one of my favorite phrases in the last few years.
It really captures the Zeitgeist. · May 23 at 11:32am
I'm glad somebody noticed. Too often, my bon mots go unnoticed. · May 23 at 12:19pm
I just hope I didn't come off as having too much noblesse oblige.
Aug '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
AmishDude
Rob Long
AmishDude: I just wanted to comment on your deft use of bien pensant, Rob.
It's one of my favorite phrases in the last few years.
It really captures the Zeitgeist. · May 23 at 11:32am
I'm glad somebody noticed. Too often, my bon mots go unnoticed. · May 23 at 12:19pm
I just hope I didn't come off as having too much noblesse oblige. · May 23 at 12:40pm
Guys - in the immortal words of pewee herman - "merci blah blah."
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
Now I know why there isn't a Whole Foods in Hillsdale, Michigan.
May '10
Re: The Washingtonian's Bad, Bad Timing
While we're on the subject, wikipedia has a page listing "French phrases" that don't exist in French. It's worth a peek.