It's all about Hitch

[Nathan Newman]

No-- what is dangerously suggests is that little else than self-promotion is
at work, a much worse charge. But to be fair, Hitchens hate of Clinton and
disdain for the left position on middle east politics was evident long
before the incidients in question, and it is the energy of those positions
that no doubt drove the writing of the books in question. That he engineers
high-profile "incidents" to coincide with their publication is
self-promotion of the highest order of course, but the only real issue is
the pros and cons of the actions themselves, not their relation to
self-promotion per se.

I thought the Snitchens incident was despicable in that it was targetted at
a friend and used the destruction of a personal relationship to serve his
agenda.  The break with the Nation may be felt by some as the sundering of a
personal links, but was clearly framed by Hitch as an institutional
disassociation based on politics.  But then I have more sympathy for the
politics of the latter act than the former, so that may shape my tolerance
for each.

-- Nathan Newman

----- Original Message -----
From: "Max B. Sawicky" <sawicky at bellatlantic.net>

I seem to recall that his previous departure from
left solidarity, the 'snitchens' episode, just
happened to occur at the time his previous book
was released.  This suggests a bit more than
self-promotion is at work.

mbs

Come on-- "pathetic", he's out there selling a book on Orwell for gods sake.
Of course there's self-promotion involved to stage his own little "Orwell in
miniature defection".

My complaint is that so few on the Left, Michael Moore and a few others
excepting, have so little sense these days of creative marketing with good
timing.

-- Nathan Newman

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Kromm" <ckromm at mindspring.com>
To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com>
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 8:11 AM
Subject: It's all about Hitch

Doesn't anyone else find Hitch's endless self-promotion and publicity
mongering over his "departure from the left" as really pathetic? Jesus,
resign and move on already. His astonishing sense of self-importance and
embarassing need to be noticed are really sad. And really, his columns were
never *that* good ... witty, but never high on the "wow, that was
insightful" scale ...

Chris Kromm
Keep your eyes on the prize.