Ross Douthat has been named the new conservative op-ed columnist for the New York Times. This is great news, even though it greatly pains me to learn that the Times has a columnist who's younger than I am.
Douthat, while considerably to my right, is a fascinating writer, with a very good grasp and interesting take on issues as diverse as politics, religion, and movies. His book about Harvard is excellent as well, although I still haven't gotten to his and Reihan Salam's Republican manifesto.
All in all, a huge improvement over than idiot hack Bill Kristol.
You seem bright enough to realize that when you start calling someone like Bill Kristol an "idiot hack" you join the legions of Internet posters who make themselves easy to ignore. I've found your thoughts interesting over the years, and I have commented here and there, but don't you ever ask yourself why you have so few comments? I've noticed that you, like so many others, started out fairly reasonable, but have increasingly ramped up the exaggerated rhetoric to the point that my visits here usually end with a quick departure. I am no fan of Kristol, but, no matter what you might think of him, he is not an "idiot hack," and that comment says more about you than it does about him. I can understand you having significant disagreements with him, but you owe it to yourself to take such comments more seriously. Otherwise, people won't take you seriously.
Posted by: DBrooks at March 15, 2009 12:28 AM