A Heaping Helping of Schadenfreude from Tom Maguire

At the expense of Glen “sock-puppet” Greenwald…

I recommend two-buck chuck as a fitting palette cleanser in this case…  My only quibble with Tom is his title (which is the theme of his article):

Oh, Let’s Not Say “Right” And “Wrong”

Glenn Greenwald bemoans Dick Cheney’s endorsement of Obama’s adoption of the Bush/Cheney war on terror.  In the course of a good reprise of Obama’s folding up like a cheap suitcase we get this:

Aside from the repressiveness of the policies themselves, there are three highly significant and enduring harms from Obama’s behavior.  First, it creates the impression that Republicans were right all along in the Bush-era War on Terror debates and Democratic critics were wrong.

Well, let’s not say “right” and “wrong” as though there will be a definitive answer.  This is not a controlled natural science experiment.  Sometimes (I am thinking of pro-lifers and pro-choicers here), folks with alternative views must simply co-exist, secure, perhaps, in their own self-righteousness but with no final proof of The Truth” available.

No, let us instead call this as it is.  The Liberal/progressive wing of the Democratic Party have been dead (and deadly) wrong on this since 9/11.  Not misguided.  Not mistaken.  Wrong.  Wrong headed.  Not acting in the best interests of the Constitution, the Nation, and the public.

]]>< ![CDATA[

Tom continues:

However – Obama’s total flip-flops
do create the impression that he was a lying, opportunistic,
unprincipled poseur during the years he positioned himself as the
liberal champion of Hope and Change who would deliver America from the
oppression of the Bush years.  I almost feel sorry for Greenwald
(almost!), who writes this:

But Obama’s impact in this area extends
far beyond that.  Dick Cheney is not only free of ignominy, but can run
around claiming vindication from Obama’s actions because he’s right.
 The American Right constantly said during the Bush years that any
President who knew what Bush knew and was faced with the duty of
keeping the country safe would do the same thing.  Obama has provided
the best possible evidence imaginable to prove those claims true.

…Obama has won the War on Terror debate —
for the American Right.  And as Dick Cheney’s interview last night
demonstrates, they’re every bit as appreciative as they should be.

Well, we’re still going to do our best to vote Obama out.

Since one cannot un-ring the bell, the debate ended with the AUMF resolution.  This will, however, be an interesting footnote for historians a hundred years hence.

Hat Tip: Glen “The Blogfather” Reynolds at Instapundit