I Don't Feel for Felt (A few more thoughts on the events -- and heroes -- of the day- Ben Stein)

The American Prowler ^ | 6/3/2005 | Ben Stein

[nickcarraway]

ping

[Fudd Fan]

I love Ben Stein. Thanks for posting this.

[Enterprise]

Looking forward to Monday's column from Stein. I think he's gettin' warmed up. I hope it's going to be one of those "so tell us what you really think Ben, don;t hold back" articles.

[scott7278]

Looking forward to Monday's column from Stein.

Same here.

[CharlieChan]

bump for Ben

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

What's kind of funny is the fact that Ben is famous for finding something to like about everyone... but he has nothing good to say about Felt.

[SeaBiscuit]

Thank you Mr. Stein, not many have the courage to speak the truth, I salute you, and I salute the real hero's of today, our Troops.

[Honestfreedom]

I like Ben Stein and loyalty is a good thing but loyalty to Nixon is misplaced. I can guarantee that Nixon would not have returned the loyalty to Stein. Not to mention Nixon's Jew hating remarks and his saving of Israel would not have been necessary if he had not withheld arms in the early days of the 1973 war. It is nice that he finally did come through but if he came through a week earlier thousands of lives would have been saved.

However, riddle me this Stein. Did Nixon not realize that his peace in Viet Nam was bound to fall apart in time? Was his phased pull out from Nam timed to coincide with his reelection? He wanted to make sure Viet Nam fell after his reelection so he timed it. Unfortunately that timing cost the lives of thousands of Americans. He basically spent their lives on his reelection. Frankly he was more deserving of impeachment for that than for Watergate.

Let's not forget Nixon gave us the first racial quotas, wage and price controls, and a huge growth of government (the EPA started in his Administration). We expect Democrats and liberals to recognize that Clinton was a crumb and we should be honest enough to do the same with Nixon.

[nickcarraway]

I don't know what Mr. Stein thinks, but if you look at the George Neumayr article, he points out that Nixon's poor behavior is no excuse for his critics to act the same way. If the ends don't justify the means, the ends don't justify the means.

[Honestfreedom]

As you are probably aware Stein was in the Nixon Administration as a young economic advisor. He is loyal to his old boss but I contend it is misplaced loyalty.

[John Filson]

It's still good to hear both sides of the issue, even if it's hard to defend what Nixon's men were doing. The fact is that Congress could have dealt with the crisis without impeachment proceedings. Congress has full responsibility for Nixon's impeachment, beyond the (somewhat justifiable) mistakes made by his administration itself.

[William Tell]

John Filson said: "Congress has full responsibility for Nixon's impeachment, beyond the (somewhat justifiable) mistakes made by his administration itself."

Could you elaborate a little on the "justifiable" mistakes you mention?

Creating almost untraceable funds to finance break-ins by Liddy and Hunt?

Hiring an Attorney General ready, willing, and able to control such funds and authorize such acts?

Paying hush money to burglars to buy their silence?

Most people of Stein's intelligence should realize that Nixon's own lack of ethical standards created the Watergate situation. Felt was not responsible for Nixon's failures. Nixon was.

[I. M. Trenchant]

A strategic retreat is the most difficult of all military manoeuvres. Withdrawal from Vietnam, without inflaming 30-40% of U.S. domestic opinion, or paying heed to the interests of the South Vietnamese allies, was not possible in any shorter period of time than that in which Nixon managed it. Few others could (Humphrey, McGovern) or would (Reagan) have done it. As recently as July of 2004, not less than George McGovern expressed his strongly admiring opinion of Nixon's skill in this achievement. Stein was absolutely correct in his assessments and any who were around at the time would agree that Nixon, who endured intense media hysteria over the Xmas Bombing of 1972 (public support was 70%), know that, had he remained in office, he would never have allowed the Cambodian Communist massacre that Nixon's opponents brought about. Those who opposed the policies Nixon pursued were soundly rejected by what is still the largest electoral majority in any presidential election in U.S. history (more than 13 million votes), and the coup that led to this popularly elected leader being ousted led directly to the Cambodian genocide.

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

I think I heard it was his father who was in the Nixon admnistration.

[EDINVA]

this is very personal for Ben ... as I recall both of his parents worked in the Nixon White House .. this wasn't some obscure WaPo headline, but struck home.

[John Filson]

Could you elaborate a little on the "justifiable" mistakes you mention?

We were a country at war, and the President may have believed the Democratic party was of dubious loyalty. As Stein points out, the killing fields of Cambodia were a direct result of Nixon's impeachment, and millions of South Vietnamese lost their freedom because our Democratic Congress abandoned our obligations to defend them in the mid-1970s.

I don't see how Felt could have kept quiet about the Nixon administration's indiscretions, but what the Democrats did to take advantage of the situation incurred a heavy price. The situation could have been handled differently. Democrats in Congress have a lot of blood on their hands, and it'll never wash out.

[jackv]

racial quotas being affirmative action.

[evad]

gotta love Ben Stein..

Bueller...Bueller.....anyone????

[Purple GOPer]

I really like Ben Stein and it looks like he is writing more and more. Does anyone have a Ben Stein Ping list??