Between the warring camps vying for ownership of the true “American conservatism,” a remarkable consensus has emerged around the status of Abraham Lincoln and his legacy. In the conservative house divided, almost everyone agrees that the president was the prophet of democratic imperialism and that his war with the South was a mere dress rehearsal for global crusades for democracy which … [Read More]

In what may count as the first wine commercial starring a Wahabi mullah, Omar Al-Sweilem waxes lyrical on what awaits the suicide bombing classes on the first 72 of their 1001 Arabian nights in Paradise: the text hardly does credit to Al Sweilem’s performance, which I suggest you lay back on your musk scented cushions and view here in its John … [Read More]

Sunday’s NY Times story talks about the divergences between one-time running mates (and popular vote winners) Al Gore and Joseph Lieberman. Noting that Lieberman has moved to the “right” by becoming hawkish on Iraq, while Gore has moved to the “left” by staying true to his initial skepticism about that war, and becoming an activist on the subject of global climate … [Read More]

Obama’s rivals may now be competing with him for the prize of uttering the stupidest remarks about the working stiffs in our state. Dee Dee Myers, who is a close personal friend of Hillary and was a confidante of Bill during his presidency, has spoken with great terseness on MSNBC about Obama’s widely publicized concerns about non-yuppie white “bitterness.” Dee Dee … [Read More]

On April 20, 1968, on a Saturday afternoon, Enoch Powell delivered his “Rivers of Blood” speech at the Midland Hotel in Birmingham. He went there fully aware that what he was going to say would be of historic importance. Earlier in the week, he had told his friend Clement Jones: “I’m going to make a speech at the weekend and it’s … [Read More]

It was looking good, the merry month of May, forty years ago. I had been living in Paris for ten years, had just moved into a beautiful small farmhouse 10 miles west of the city, had recently become a bachelor again age 31, and had given up competitive tennis for polo and the Bagatelle polo club in the Bois de Boulogne. … [Read More]

“Unprecendented Israel snub for Jimmy,” screams the New York Post. Echoed by all three candidates, I might add, all three with a crippling and chronic reluctance to let Israel feel the rough edge of their tongue. It is called Realpolitik—utter a word against Likud policy and retire to your farm for the duration. This applies to all politicians in the … [Read More]

Some months ago I blogged lightheartedly about the “bone church” in Rome, whose crypt is entirely decorated with the disassembled skeletons of friars. But today I actually went there—a starkly different experience, and one that provoked a few sharp thoughts about the task which faces us on the Right. The Church of the Immaculate Conception is a haunting little brown, stone … [Read More]

Obama has taken a beating from gleeful conservatives over his comments about bitter working class Pennsylvanians clinging to God and guns.  Today David Brooks says people resent the comments because it shows Obama does not share their values and life experiences.  Rod Dreher notes that many working class whites who were leaning towards Obama may not be able to get over … [Read More]

What, in the name of all that’s holy, is anyone doing up at 5:28 am? At this ungodly hour, one can only be up to no good. Unless you’re over 50, like me, in which case it’s simply old age: with the sand in the hourglass moving rather too quickly, we oldsters simply want to experience as much of the time … [Read More]