Posted on 10/27/2006 8:29:35 AM PDT by Mr. Brightside
Politics and pulp fiction
By Michelle Malkin · October 27, 2006 08:51 AM
Remember how pathetic it was when the Left tried to make scandals out of books written by Lynne Cheney and Scooter Libby?
Cheney wrote a pulpy novel, "Sisters," about a frontier woman that included graphic sexual passages and lesbian lovers. (A conservative-bashing site reprinted excerpts here.)
Libby wrote a pulpy novel, "The Apprentice," a "story of innocence and temptation" set in turn-of-the-century Japan that included graphic sexual passages--including bestiality and a scene in which the brothers of a dead samurai have sex with his daughter.
Both were works of fiction. You know, stuff that's made up.
Now, the George Allen campaign has detonated its October surprise using the same tactics as Cheney's and Libby's critics--attacking the fiction of his Democrat opponent, James Webb via an official "press release" sent to the Drudge Report last night. Are the passages in Webb's "Lost Soldiers" bizarre and perverted? Yes. But they are no more proof of Webb's immorality and unfitness for office than the passages in "Sisters" are proof that Lynne Cheney hates men or that the passages in "The Apprentice" are proof that Scooter Libby endorses sex between children and bears.
John Hawkins, who first highlighted Webb's fictional work here and here, does make a good point about media double standards:
It goes without saying that any Republican who wrote this sort of thing and ran for office would be absolutely ripped into a thousand pieces by the mainstream media. Of course, John's right.
Allah does him one better:
If George Allen had written this book, not only would the left be going berserk, they’d be circulating lists of characters in his other books whom they suspect of being gay. Heh.
I don't think, however, that the Allen campaign--couldn't they leave this to surrogates?--should be trafficking in this late October muck. It is beneath them and there's plenty else about Webb that is damning.
Like Webb's lying about leading the "fight" to include an African-American soldier in the Vietnam War soldier's memorial.
Or his non-fiction writing about women in the military.
And what happened to focusing on Webb's stance on taxes, as fiscal conservatives in Virginia have been urging?
Political strategists in the Beltway are exulting that "Webb is toast" as a result of this Drudge/Allen bomb. But if this what Republican Senate candidates need to do to win elections, I don't think any of us should be cheering.
Personally I think Allen was going to win anyway.
I'm to the point that I don't care what we have to do to win, short of doing anything illegal or fraudulent.
We CANNOT let the Dems take the House or Senate.
Bookmark
There in no playing this story down. Webb is gone.
I have to disagree with Ms. Malkin. The dems made Foley an issue in this campaign. This book is relevant to that issue. Secondly, this book is more than just a smutty novel. It contains passages to make pedophiles run to the store and buy it instantly.
The DemoRat party and their street-thug buddies, the MSM, are a living tabloid, but with far less credibility than the National Inquirer....
Note to self: Sanitize mind by re-reading Palliser novels.
When Hastert didn't do enough to protect the children of American from Foley (According to the DIMs and MSM), he was being implicated as a child molester. But, that is alright.
Webb is the actual author of the exerpts in question but we are to pass them over. No way.
Just my opinion....
LOL... but they're about dirty politics, too! They just seem more classy because they're British and over a century old. :)
Normal Virginia folk are going to make their decision on Webb and the matter in the privacy of the voting booth. No posturing by the media is going to help this man one iota.
Was about to say what is all the fuss about until I saw a couple of the excerpts. Sorry but anything that comes from one's mind as polluted as that doesn't need to be representing me and my family in the US Senate, end of story.
So the Senate is looking safe and the House is closing, but maybe not enough to cover the distance.
It won't be the end of the world but sometimes one setback is useful to reclaim your ideals and the Republicans could use that. So hold the Senate and we'll see what happens with the House.
I hate to disagree with a pretty woman.
But the main difference is that Lynn Cheney and Scotter Libby were not in policy making positions. Webb would be.
Lynn Cheney and Scooter Libby aren't running for the Senate.
BIG difference!
American politics is a blood sport. Always has been. You wnat to keep the rats from taking power? Get right down in the dirt with 'em.
The is a steel cage death match. There will be one winner and one loser. I want to be the winner.
Correcto! :)... KILLING INSTINC people!... show no mercy :)
This story is is beyond management at this point and will likely run hot for a day or two - it is so visceral (especially the one particular graphic scene) that I think you will see it affect the polls.
Michelle is wrong on this one.
Not only is the man/boy sex over the line, the entire body of Webb's work speaks to the same problem: Personal character.
The man's writing, taken as whole, shows who he is. He is unfit for office at any level.
Neither Lynn Cheney nor Scooter Libby were running for public office.
Their fitness is assessed by the person appointing them and the people's elected representatives.
Webb's fitness is assessed by the electorate.
But they are not vulgar and obscene, always a plus.
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