What a Rich Pyre!, by Russell Setiz Being a poem in the style of “Under Which Lyre?” WH Auden’s adieu to WWII, which Norman Podhoretz ought to have read before taking the poet’s name in vain in his epic fantasy, World War IV.   The Bushies at last have quit the field, The Weekly Standard’s bloodstains yield   To seeping showers, … [Read More]

Two weeks after the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., John McCain and Sarah Palin were striding forward toward victory. They had erased the eight-point lead Barack Obama had opened up in Denver and watched as one blue state after another moved into the toss-up category. That is ancient history now. Since mid-September, the stock market has cratered, losing half of … [Read More]

Last week’s column I managed to offend a fair swathe of my audience by using an acronym I didn’t make up in reference to the GOP’s vice-presidential candidate. Lesson learned: From now on, I’ll refer to women like Gov. Palin exclusively as “momshells.” In fact, I’m going to swear off using other people’s acronyms altogether. No more “MILFs,” “DWEMs” or “WASPs” … [Read More]

There are two types of people who may find this article interesting. If you’re involved in a 12-step program of any kind and maintain your sobriety, but secretly delight in the confessions of relapse or of wild times before Antabuse, you might enjoy what follows as your daily does of Schadenfreude. If you’re a traditionalist chagrined over the infiltration of the … [Read More]

Of all the candidates for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, only one took the time to address the 35th-annual March for Life on Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. On the day of the march, this candidate, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, received the endorsement of Norma McCorvey, the eponymous “Jane Roe” of 1974, who since the verdict converted … [Read More]

Now, let me just close by saying this. I do not think this is going to be easy. It’s not going to come without costs. We are all going to need to sacrifice. We’re all going to need to pull our weight, because now, more than ever, we are all in this together. Now, that’s part of what this crisis has … [Read More]

I usually find these debates demeaning, because they’re not exactly Lincoln vs. Douglas. But I must admit that in the debate with Biden, I found Sarah Palin’s legs absolutely wonderful…  [Read More]

NEW YORK—The war on terror, as the most inarticulate man ever to inhabit the White House calls it, has now lasted longer than World War II. And take it from Taki, it’s not going away, not in my lifetime, that’s for sure. Insurgencies have a tendency to wear out their enemy and eventually prevail. Malaya (1948-1960) is the only exception. (Thank … [Read More]

Having seen “American Carol” on the basis of James Hirsen’s glowing review on Newsmax I am still reacting to this flick’s neoconservative message with a queasy stomach. From my exposure to this movie that David Zucker threw together with Bill O’Reilly, who appears as one of the movie’s characters, it seems that I was viewing a cinematic adaptation of Victor Davis … [Read More]

”(O)nce war is forced upon us, there is no other alternative than to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end. “War’s very object is victory, not prolonged indecision. “In war there is no substitute for victory.” Familiar to every graduate of West Point, the words are from the farewell address of Gen. MacArthur, to Congress on April … [Read More]