Goldberg v. Cole II: The Spanking Continues

Is it a sin to be enjoying this? Lord, forgive me. Juan Cole writes more on Jonah Goldberg:

I am saying I do not understand why CNN or NPR would book someone to talk about Iraq policy who has not read a book on the subject under discussion. Actually, of course, it would be desirable that he had read more than one book. Books are nice. They are rectangular and soft and have information in them. They can even be consumed on airplanes. Goldberg should try one.

…If he thinks he knows what he is talking about in print, why wouldn’t he risk talking about the same things verbally and in person? I’ll tell you why. It is because when writing an op-ed, he can get away with only seeming to grasp the facts, whereas in person he can be busted and shown to be only a poseur.

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11:40 pm on February 7, 2005