I guess it’s not surprising, given the torn emotions of these recent days, that I’ve gotten more slashing emails to Talking Points in the last week than I think I’ve ever gotten (e.g.: “But beyond these more particular points, I’d like to take this opportunity to question your basic integrity and humanity.”) The interesting thing though is that they’re coming in about equally from the right and the left, both reacting to the same posts, and both insisting that I’m coming down, egregiously, on the wrong side.
The ones that require some response are the ones from the left because many come from regular or longtime readers who are stunned by the line I’ve taken on recent events, and think I’ve changed by colors, spots … pick your metaphor.
Anyway, I think the issue here is that having the White House in Republican hands has obscured the coloration of my political opinions, making it seem like I’m a down-the-line liberal or lefty, when I’m not.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that I’m criticizing The Nation’s take on this. As some of you know, my last job was as Washington Editor of the American Prospect. And the problem there was that I was not liberal enough — at least to certain particularly influential folks. But, okay, okay … I’m over that.
Anyway, the criticism, even vicious, is fine and welcome. But I haven’t changed. We’re just talking about different subjects.