Shaun Mullen and Vermont Woodchuck attribute to me passages I’ve gleaned from Greenwald in order to hold them up to mockery and scorn.
But the former reproduces this asinine passage from Ezra Klein:
This is sort of the boring take on Spitzer, but what we’re seeing here is not the fallâ€â€if indeed he does fallâ€â€of a high-flying governor. It’s the final tumble of a crushed reformer. Spitzer, for reasons both structural and personal, has been utterly humbled by Albany. The new capitalism he promised, the age of transparency he spoke of, the national ambitions he harboredâ€â€all have broken before the obstacles he faced in the governor’s mansion. When you think of the hype he was getting only a couple years ago, that’s a rather remarkable fact. I don’t care about the prostitution. But the capacity of the system to stand against those who would reform it, and who come into office with a broad mandate to do so, is really quite sobering.
He behaved as an ass, Ezra. We’re not talking about the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. We’re not talking about cybernetic historical forces beyond the control of the individual–the leaking of agricultural and metallurgical technology to the tribes on the margins of the Empire, the denaturalization of the armed forces. We’re talking about a dirty, dirty bastard who felt that he was above the law because he was the law. So save the vacuous histrionics.
UPDATE: Shaun fixed that at his place. Thanks, Shaun.
UPDATE x2: Spitzer’s wrestling paralyzes Albany in theater of the absurd limbo
Shaun–
Thanks, but what I’m saying is . . . the passage you attribute to me is actually Glenn Greenwald’s, quoted in my post! Even if I agreed with it, which I don’t, I wouldn’t want it attributed to me, because it’s not mine.
Thanks,
Dan
—–Original Message—–
From: Shaun Mullen
Sent: Mar 12, 2008 8:08 AM
To: Dan Collins
Subject: Re: Dan Collins quoted at your placeI was not citing your post to mock it. Read a few days of my Quotes From Around the Blogosphere and you will see that it is a rich stew of left, right and center and no one is quoted — ever — to make fun of them.
Best, Shaun
On Wed, Mar 12, 2008 at 7:47 AM, Dan Collins wrote:Shaun–
Please don’t attribute to me a passage that I’ve cited from Greenwald in order to hold it up for mockery!
Thanks,
Dan Collins
When you think of the hype he was getting only a couple years ago, that’s a rather remarkable fact.
Only if you don’t really understand what hype is.
I liked jacqueline over at the comments on the Klein article. Anything remotely negative about Obama does not fit her paradigm and therefore does not exist. Even though Barack admits that the Rezko deal was a “boneheaded move”.
So his judgment, in hindsight, is excellent.
“Wow Michelle, meeting with Achmadinijad and giving in to all his demands was a boneheaded move. Hey is my turban on straight? It looks crooked.”
We’re not talking about cybernetic historical forces beyond the control of the individual–the leaking of agricultural and metallurgical technology to the tribes on the margins of the Empire, the denaturalization of the armed forces. We’re talking about a dirty, dirty bastard who felt that he was above the law because he was the law.
damn it sure sounds like the Fall of the Empire State though.
Are you a little worried about Nixon-Reagan-WallStreet selling off our industrial capacity to the KMT-CCP Oligarchies (the Taiwan-China nexus) and the increasing dark-skinned mercenary forces of our military…(Your Army, Be all YOU can be. etc.)? Look in the Republicratic mirror: military service is disdained by the “Power Elite’s children” and so is getting your hands dirty in ‘productive endeavors’ (Chelsy sic Clinton e.g.)
And we won’t see the Spitzer children at the soup lines that’s for sure.
Scratch a lefty, find a racist.
(And a delusional one at that.)
and the increasing dark-skinned mercenary forces of our military…(Your Army, Be all YOU can be. etc.)?
You’re a fucking idiot. Don’t make shit up just to be contrarian.
Tell it to John McCain and his two sons in uniform.
Everything you know is wrong, dave.
Dan:
So let me get this straight. I accidentally misattribute a quote to you. You accuse me of mocking you. I reply that I had no such intention and quickly change the attribution to the correct source yet you continue to pile on.
Perhaps its time that you switch to decaf.
Best, Shaun
Shaun–
Let you get this straight: I SAID I WAS MOCKING GREENWALD.
I agree, the syntax is ambiguous.
My point’s not really to pile on. It’s one of the hazards of blogging, this kind of misunderstanding. I just don’t want to go to my grave having Greenwaldian screeds attributed to me.
It’s all about TEH INTENTIONALITY. And I really mean that.
Now, now, Dan and Shaun. Let me propose the following solution to this kerfuffle:
Dan and Shaun: I FART IN YOUR GENERAL DIRECTIONS!!!
Mocking synchronicity is restored. Now you two play nice, preferably in traffic! :-)
Karma is a bitch.
Sorry for any inadvertent mixup in the credits. I picked up the post and wanted to make sure others knew from where I found it, and that it was credited to your site.
No, that’s all right, man. Appreciate the link!
Also, loved seeing that photo of New Haven, VT. I live about 10 miles from there.
(Chelsy sic Clinton e.g.)
lol.
I thought Dan showed remarkable restraint in his response. If someone had insulted me in such a manner by attributing the gleenwaldian missives to me, I would practically go Kevorkian.
Dan, man, them syntax was all outta line, true dat.
If you were a programmer, you’d be a C programmer for sure for sure. ‘Cause if you tried to program this in Ada, for instance, you’d be screamed at by the compiler umpteen number of times.
Respekt! Ein wirlich gelungene Seite.