Hitch on Hardball

[Gordon Fitch]

Nathan Newman wrote:
> >Of course you are misreading me since I sure don't think this administration
> >has a good-faith vision of peace and democracy in the region.  So yes, a
> >postive vision has to come from somewhere other than DC.  My complaint is
> >that the Left is failing at providing that vision, instead relying on
> >negativity, which is why they are so irrelevant to the debate.  As Hitchens
> >notes, if the mainstream and rightwing antiwar folks were not articulating
> >strong opposition, the war would probably be a done deal.

Doug Henwood:
> So what's Hitch's vision? He signed up for the last war, and has
> pretty much signed up for the next, while muttering some reservations
> that don't count for much. Why's he get to kvetch about the absence
> of a positive vision if he's pretty much supporting the Bush admin in
> theirs?

When did he ever have a vision?  This is not entirely a
rhetorical question, because, after all, I suppose there might
be a vision out there hiding under a rock somewhere, but it
certainly is not in evidence.  Hitchens seems to be incapable
of ordinary analysis, much less vision -- hence his stupid
remarks about the Left supporting Osama bin Laden.  Isn't it
possible that like, say, P. J. O'Rourke, he's clever without
being really very bright?

In a sense, I think Hitchens has always been a right-winger,
but has just been slow about coming to himself.  The curious
thing, if any, is that it has taken him so long.  There are
lots of people like that, and I don't understand the big
deal that is made about them.

-- Gordon