Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Facing harsh criticism from both right and left over the organization he helped found along with Liz Cheney, Keep America Safe, taking out ads questioning the loyalty of attorneys who defended detainees from Gitmo, Bill Kristol takes to the pages of his magazine -- and promptly ignores the substance of that criticism and tries to change the subject.
Why the hysterical reaction to the Keep America Safe Internet ad asking why Eric Holder wouldn't release the names of lawyers now at the Justice Department who had done pro bono legal work for al Qaeda terrorists? Why the desperate effort to find establishment Republican lawyers to legitimize the effort to insulate Holder's Justice Department from criticism?Because the policies of Holder's DOJ have become a political nightmare for the Obama administration.
Really? And that explains why so many conservative legal scholars have blasted the group? Ken Starr and Ted Olson are just trying to help the Obama administration's political situation with their criticisms?
Not once in this article does Kristol even mention the substance of the criticisms. He doesn't even attempt to address them. He just tries to change the subject. There's a reason for this, of course: He can't answer those criticisms. He has no answer for them and he doesn't have the intellectual honesty to admit that he's wrong, so he has to pretend it's just all about politics and not principle.
Politics
Comments
Hello, Ed (et al); I'm a first time poster to this forum though I've been lurking for a long time. Kristol is doing what seems to work well for Republicans: just keep tellin' the lie and just keep grinnin' -- tell a lie enough times with enough confidence and you can fool some of the people all the time! (With a tip of the hat to Lincoln.)
Posted by: Frank West | March 11, 2010 12:27 PM
How does one go about "releasing" information that is already in the public domain? PACER provides easy access to court documents to anyone who cares enough about to find out who was representing the alleged terrorists. This controversy is 100% manufactured.
Posted by: Davis | March 11, 2010 12:35 PM
After Kristol's stellar recommendation of Palin for VP, I cannot understand why I'd even ask him for directions.
He cannot address the substance of the argument because so many from all over the political spectrum have called it crap. Passing innuendo and hate off as substance has to be all he has left at this point.
Posted by: MikeMa | March 11, 2010 12:38 PM
MikeMa @ 3:
Andrew Sullivan occasionally publishes a blog post referencing someone analyzing how spectacularly wrong Bill Kristol is in both his analysis and predictions. Kristol distinguishes himself that way.
However I bet Kristol is glad he recommended Sarah Palin as VP. There's no way McCain could have beat Obama, it was Obama's to lose. Palin provides him a continued voice promoting his neocon policies coupled to the additional benefit of her resonating with social conservatives who are not necessarily a natural ally except when you fuel the Armageddon/Haggee fantasy which Palin does so well.
Posted by: Michael Heath | March 11, 2010 12:56 PM
I'm glad to see Kristol refer to this as a "political nightmare" for Obama, because his prognostications are always, always wrong. Dude makes Dick Morris look like frickin' Nostradamus.
Posted by: Solly Hofman | March 11, 2010 1:12 PM
Coke to Michael Heath for #4. I posted too soon.
Posted by: Solly Hofman | March 11, 2010 1:13 PM
How does one go about "releasing" information that is already in the public domain? PACER provides easy access to court documents to anyone who cares enough about to find out who was representing the alleged terrorists. This controversy is 100% manufactured.
Stewart had some fun with that the other night. Sure, the names are public, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN LIST FORM!!!!!11eleven!
Posted by: Solly Hofman | March 11, 2010 1:16 PM
Michael Heath @4,
Kristol is still feeding Palin? You think he might enjoy being associated with such a spectacular failure? How does the man have the time for that anyway with all the crap he & Liz Cheney are up to?
Posted by: MikeMa | March 11, 2010 1:27 PM
I genuinely don't get why even some critics of Bill Kristol insist that he is a genuinely smart man.
I have yet to see him say or do much of anything that merits adult-level human intelligence.
Posted by: CHV | March 11, 2010 1:48 PM
Ed, when you said intellectual honesty did you mean intellectual capacity?
Posted by: Naughtius Maximus | March 11, 2010 1:59 PM
"he doesn't have the intellectual honesty to admit that he's wrong, so he has to pretend it's just all about politics and not principle."
For Kristol and many other Republicans and/or Conservatives acting to further the political success of the Republican Party is a principled position, even the most principled of positions. Conversely, Democrats can never be principled because of the possibility that a Democratic policy might lead to Democratic political success.
Posted by: Prof.Pedant | March 11, 2010 3:21 PM
MikeMa @ 8:
Actually more than ever. She's hired some (dangerously high irony alert) inside the beltway people to school her and IIRC, they're all neocons. That's why you hear some out of nowhere blurb consistent with neoconservatism; too bad she won't talk to media given that I'd bet she knows nothing beyond the talking point. There is a meme going around in conservadom and even Chris Matthews spreads it that ignorant idiots like Sarah Palin can actually be schooled, Bill O'Reilly is this idea's most frequent promoter from what I've encountered. I'd argue maybe such people can get schooled enough to fool people into voting them but in no way can such people who require schooling at her age become informed and wise enough to competently govern.
Posted by: Michael Heath | March 11, 2010 3:50 PM
Hmmm... could it be that all those "heart attacks" were just Liz Cheney trying to Keep America Safe? Is she a double-nut agent?
Posted by: MadScientist | March 11, 2010 4:26 PM
"He has no answer for them and he doesn't have the intellectual honesty to admit that he's wrong, so he has to pretend it's just all about politics and not principle."
For Kristal his participation in and support of this attack was all about politics. There was no principle at all behind it beyond his desire for momentary political gain by way of propaganda and posturing. That this, in his mind, was just part of a political game to capture a news cycle, with a down payment for exploitation of the meme later, is not seen as inconsistent.
His willingness to use sophistry unburdened by the best interests of the nation or ethical consistency is not, in his mind, does not disqualify him for membership as respected commentator and journalist. Selling out his, and the nation's, ethical standards to make a cheap political point vilifying people working for justice is 'just business' in his estimation.
He has to earn his keep by carrying a certain amount of partisan water. If a little bit of this sewage slops over onto his Gucci loafers political operatives on both sides are expected to ignore the smell. He is upset primarily that anyone would be so rude as to mention the stench. Such observations, even when entirely accurate, are just not fair game to broadcast if your a villager. Mentioning the ethical pong is a breach of civility and manners. A much greater sin than smearing defense attorneys performing their function withing the justice system.
Posted by: Art | March 11, 2010 6:41 PM
Michael Heath @12,
Is this where we mention lipstick and pigs?
Posted by: MikeMa | March 11, 2010 7:24 PM
People who say that Krystal has never been right always forget about that time when he thought that he might be wrong, and it turned out that he was.
Posted by: Ick of the East | March 12, 2010 2:14 AM