The Retreat from Empiricism and Ron Suskind's Intellectual Scoop

One of the most scathing, but clearly analytical pieces I have read about this administration.

Ron Suskind must, if we, as a nation, manage to survive Bush Inperial reality, be an American hero, when future generations look back on this time, as they surely will. I hope that we, who have seen this administration for the deceptive disaster that it is, for longer than most, will see to it that out grandkids remember people like Suskind, and, yes, Jay Rosen.

I hope they will, one day, remember, with reverent fondness, people who have continued to tell the truth to the American people, even when it was not popular and to do so may have, even, been dangerous to them, personally, in some way.

I will be the first to admit that we, at the Lantern, can have our problems with cynicism. We call it the big "C." Mainly, we call it that because there was a time when people referred to cancer like that, by its single initial. Cynicism is every bit as malignant to the human spirit as cancer is to the human body.

We all have flare-ups very once in a while, but can ill-afford to allow it to go on long, before we take our medication. One of those medications, for me, is reminding myself that we do have heros, even now, in this time of darkness.

They have been with us, almost, from the beginning of this illegitimate, corrupt, murderous administration, and they have grown in number over the years.

It is not the job, IMHO, of the press, to speak truth to elected power. It is the job of the press to speak truth to the people, who may or may not have elected the power. It is the job of the press to confront un-truth everytime it is uttered by an elected official. (Do your damn homework, before you question an elected, or appointed and approved-by-the-senate official.)

These people are our employess and if they are spouting carefully crafted talking points, truthiness; the press should challenge them on it. Pin them down, when they are talking about matters of state; serious matters which mean life or death, living in dignity or poverty, health or illness.

Thank all goodness that there are still public servants and press members, who do all in their power to make the electorate aware of real danger from within, as well as from without.

Thank You, Jay Rosen, for the best Chrsitmas present I received this year; a simple reminder.

The Blog Jay Rosen: The Retreat from Empiricism and Ron Suskind's Intellectual Scoop The Huffington Post:

The only piece of political journalism ever to make me cry was Ron Suskind's article, Without a Doubt, published in the New York Times Magazine shortly before the 2004 election. It was in that article that the famous passage appeared quoting a senior administration official on the myopia of the 'reality-based community' when it came to understanding the government of George W. Bush.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about that article because the 'realist' school in foreign policy is thought to be back in charge. The release of the Iraq Study Group's report on December 6th and the re-emergence of James Baker, famous for being pragmatist, a realist, and a fixer, were the triggers for this observation. The Guardian's report was typical: 'This is a return to the realist policy of Mr. Bush's father.'

Dan Froomkin said the report and reactions to it 'marked a restoration of reality in Washington.