Ben Stein on "The Lynching of the President"

The American Spectator ^ | January 25, 2007 | Ben Stein

[seanmerc]

The Lynching of the President By Ben Stein

So there I was, lying in my bed in Malibu with my dogs, watching Mr. Bush's State of the Union speech. I thought it was darned good. Realistic, gracious, modest, sensible. I happen to think we should get out of Iraq yesterday, but I thought Mr Bush put forward his case well. And Congress responded graciously and generously on both sides of the aisle.

Then, whaam, as soon as the speech was over, ABC was bashing him, telling us how pathetic he was, how irrelevant he was, how weak he was, how unrealistic he was.

Right after that, Jim Webb gave a very short speech biting Bush's head off -- but not making any concrete proposals about anything. No network person mentioned how simple minded and unrealistic he was.

Then, tonight, the next night, I walked into the kitchen where my wife had left the radio going with NPR to amuse the cats. NPR was having a call-in show talking about the State of the Union. The first speaker I heard was a country music legend, Merle Haggard, who said he had never seen things so bad in this country. Then a legion of anonymous callers chimed in with similar thoughts.

And suddenly it hit me. The media is staging a coup against Mr. Bush. They cannot impeach him because he hasn't done anything illegal. But they can endlessly tell us what a loser he is and how out of touch he is (and I mean ENDLESSLY) and how he's just a vestigial organ on the body politic right now.

[Convert]

Doesn't he just want to tax the very rich - like the ones in Malibu who have so many tax breaks because of their professions and so many lawyers and accountants because of their money and fake charities that they don't pay taxes?

[hosepipe]

Ben Stein just woke up from a coma?... WHAT?...
The boy is about as sharp as a bowling ball- Foghorn Leghorn

[jveritas]

his failure to recognize the benefits of tax cuts is mystifying.

I was surprised to hear this coming from him when I watched him long time ago talking about it.

[Tut]

Then, whaam, as soon as the speech was over, ABC was bashing him, telling us how pathetic he was, how irrelevant he was, how weak he was, how unrealistic he was.

Right after that, Jim Webb gave a very short speech biting Bush's head off -- but not making any concrete proposals about anything. No network person mentioned how simple minded and unrealistic he was.

Now that is the key isn't it? The "but not making any concrete proposals about anything" part.

To me at least it is key. Anyone can bust anyone's chops for anything but it is another story all together to come up with solutions on their own.

The liberal left who claims to know so much in reality have not come up with anything constructive for years. (if ever)

Everything they say or do is empty and meaningless.

It is so sad that so many falls hook line and sinker for their bull.

[lonestar67]

I like the main parts of this column but I am quite surprised how critical he is of Iraq.

I really wonder what it would take to get someone in the media who supports the Iraq war.

I support the Iraq war and I am surprised to see how much Stein does not.

I think the guy is brilliant but the idea that attacking Saddam or fighting there now is a mistake is the true mistake.

The celebratory mood about no attacks here is directly attributable to fighting over there.

The democratic tensions of Iraq resonate elsewhere and jeopardize the broad state of Islamic fascism. This is inevitably going to take time and violence. Nonetheless, Bush has wisely accelerated this process.

Palestine is a good example. Hamas and Fatah are fighting to the death. That would not be possible without "democracy" previously Hamas got to lie low and play underdog. Now they are both fighting to the death on the other side of a wall.

I think Lebannon is also playing out in our favor because of Iraqi democracy.

I think the edges of Iran are also starting to roll back on Tehran.

Why wont people like Stein defend this?

[dsc]

"Does anyone know what are the great mistakes that these guys made that says are so great compared to Bush's?"

"Truman"

Appointed Dean Acheson, whose statement that the Korean Peninsula lay outside the all-important "defense perimeter" of the United States caused the Korean War. Allowed his cabinet to cut military spending "to the bone, and then keep cutting" after WWII, which ensured that our armed forces were not prepared for Korea. Fired MacArthur. Refused to use sufficient force to eliminate N. Korea, instead settling for an uneasy truce that has now come back to bite us.

"FDR"

Implemented socialist policies that had the economy on the ropes. Legacy saved only by the attack on Pearl Harbor and Hitler's declaration of war 10 days later. Decided to abandon Pacific and pursue war in Europe first, thereby abandoning huge numbers of civilians in the Philippines and elsewhere to unimaginable horrors. Went along with the fire-bombing of Dresden. And on, and on, and on.

"Kennedy"
Took the Bay of Pigs operation away from Army Intelligence at the 11th hour and gave it to the CIA who screwed it up by the numbers. Murdered hundreds, if not thousands, by reneging on promise to provide air support after the operation was already in progress. Pussied out in Cuban Missile Crisis, giving Krushchev our missiles in Turkey and Italy in return for dismantling Russia's in Cuba. Failed to take out Castro. Committed adultery virtually every day. Worst of all, it was with the rise of the inbred shanty-Irish trash Kennedy clan that America's descent into the muck and mire of blue jeans and grungy attire for every occasion began.

[MHGinTN]

Yes, Ben, the enemy within is a leftist boil oozing infection constantly, so long as the President is a Republican. But if a lying degenerate democrap president spews lies on world wide TV (I did not have ... what the hell), he's heroic, etc. Yes, Ben, the enemy is within and spewing pus via media spittle.

[doc1019]

I watch Neil Cavuto’s program religiously and Ben has argued many times that he thinks tax cuts are wrong … wrong across the board.

Only time that I have seen Neil get really agitated and “down right” argumentative with a guest is when the conversation turns to tax cuts and Ben’s logic against them is voiced.

Ben has softened his protests in recent months and he has started to suggest that tax cuts “for the rich” is his main point.

His history of tax cut comments are not in line with what is happening in our economy. Although he is a genius, even geniuses have flawed thinking sometimes. ;-)

[dsc]

"I watch Neil Cavuto’s program religiously"

What channel is that? I've been reading Stein for a number of years, and find it very surprising that he would argue against tax cuts.

[doc1019]

I watch it on Direct TV channel 360 at 4 pm.

[doc1019]

EST

[groanup]

The good news about all of this is the factoid that "when everybody agrees about something, it's wrong.". This is what we are seeing. Everybody knows Bush is wrong. Ha. There is a thundering sound from the bewildered herd.

[doc1019]

You can get archived programs at www.foxnews.com.

[since 1854]

I agree generally with you, but MacArthur should have been fired months before, when after the Inchon landing he failed to cut off the North Korean army from fleeing north. Instead of driving across the penninsula, MacArthur wasted weeks taking Seoul. Then, he further screwed up by disobeying orders and advancing all the way to the Yalu River.

[Lewite]

Newt Gingrich/Ben Stein '08

[ghostkatz]

you missed Mista Jimma Carter on your list...he gave us oil embargos, 444 days of Iranians holding Americans hostage. Gave away the Panama canal which China now runs = controls. He gave pure "misery index" and now he gives us anti-semitic & hate america crap in new book. He should go hug Hugo Chavez some more and take Cindy Sh-than w/ him...peas in a pod. Why doesn't he just give us a break??

[Liberty Valance]

"He's the only President we have, and I trust him a lot more than I trust unelected princes of the newsroom."



I agree Ben.
And by the way...nice shoes.
;o)

[Shimmer128]

Stein has clear and amazing insight.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

NEVER FORGET


Praise GOD that
President BUSH has promised...


Freedom's Arrival to:

Communist Vietnam
Communist North Korea
Communist Cuba


as well as


Freedom's Arrival to:

All the Countries of the Middle East


...as America's own best self-protection against furture terrorist attacks here at home.



Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer
Veteran-1st Major Battles for Freedom of the Vietnam War 1965-66

http://www.lzxray.com

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set1.htm

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm


NEVER FORGET

.

[Martins kid]

You are going to have to begin now to defeat your Jr. Senator in six years just as we are here in Ohio. Brown and Webb can be one termers.