I subscribe to The New Republic, a venerable liberal magazine. It's generally smart and informative and puts the best foot forward for the liberal cause. I don't agree with them much, but it is good to keep one's self intellectually honest. A vice many political observers have is that they believe their own side's press. As is amply displayed by all sides of the South Dakota blogophere, some folks have the tendency to blithely repeat the talking points coming from their side's various spokesmen. Our side is always right and their side is always wrong; portray your side in the best possible light, and the opposition in the worst light. One cure for that is to read the smart people on the other side, and The New Republic qualifies for the left.
That's why it is so disappointing to get the recent email update from TNR editor Franklin Foer. What's in this week's TNR? A scandal mongering article (registration required) on Duke Cunningham's wife by sleaze author Kitty Kelly. Oh, and an important piece about poker in Washington. These articles go well with a recent TNR piece on Washington's "first wives club." This from a magazine founded by Herbert Croly and Walter Lippmann? What's next? A dating column from Ted Kennedy? How about Hillary Clinton on this Fall's fashions? Which hand bag is carried by progressives who are "in the know"? Really TNR, where's your dignity?
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