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My first impulse was to leave this post by Tunku Varadarajan unanswered.
My usual rule in replying to personal criticism is to answer all factual misstatements (“Frum kicked a kitten”) and ignore all personal characterizations (“Frum is a filthy kitten-hater”).
I’m going to make an exception in this case, because in the course of abusing me, Tunku reveals something fascinating and important about the malformations of contemporary conservatism.
“A [polite company conservative] is a conservative who yearns for the goodwill of the liberal elite in the media and in the Beltway—who wishes, always, to have their ear, to be at their dinner parties, to be comforted by a sense that liberal interlocutors believe that they are not like other conservatives, with their intolerance and boorishness, their shrillness and their talk radio. The PCC, in fact, distinguishes himself from other conservatives not so much ideologically—though there is an element of that—as aesthetically.”
Ah! Those Beltway dinner parties, those Georgetown cocktail parties, those delicious evenings whispering sweet nothings into the ears of David Broder and Chris Matthews! How delicious, how enticing, how … utterly non-existent.
Tunku here repeats a favorite – maybe the central – myth of modern conservatism, the animating theme of the Sarah Palin campaign, the grand unifying story line of Fox News: fear of the seductive power of the “cultural elites.” One moment, you are a virtuous young conservative who dutifully believes and repeats what he hears on the Glenn Beck program. Then: the dreadful moment of temptation! Adam Nagourney has invited you to a barbeque in his backyard! It’s too dazzling, too irresistible. In a twinkling, the certitudes of a lifetime collapse.
When I read these childish fantasies in the comments section at Free Republic, I shrug. The commenter is repeating things he absorbed from some Allen Drury novel at summer camp 30 years ago. How can he be expected to know better? But Tunku of course does know better. Tunku is inveighing against a world that ceased to exist a generation ago, if it ever existed at all. It’s as if a preacher were to climb to the pulpit to preach against Jazz music and bathtub gin and flappers and flivvers. You’d think, “Has this man spent the past half century in cryogenic suspension?”
Like me, Tunku worked on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal. He knows intimately the actual pressures brought to bear on ambitious young conservatives – and the truly glittering temptations laid before them. Answer me this, Tunku. Which frightened you more when you worked there: the fear of offending the membership committee of the Greenwich Lawn Bowling Club? Or the fear of transgressing the complex internal ideological system of the Journal’s editorial page? Which incentivized more: the yearning for an invitation to Felix Rohatyn’s house? Or the hope of an endorsement of one’s most recent book by Rush Limbaugh?
And here in the capital – where the media elite spend their leisure hours worrying over the next round of lay-offs and buy-outs – what are the opportunities that beckon most lucratively? Is Tunku so unworldly that he imagines that the big lobbying firms pay 6-figure salaries to people who DISSENT from their party leadership?
Tunku declares his preference for “passionate extremism … the more of it the better.” Tunku is the former editor of the opinion section of Forbes.com. Can he truly be unaware that his preference is shared by almost every other opinion editor, TV booker, and talk radio syndicate in the nation?
The very most baffling thing about remarks like Tunku’s is the inferiority complex to which they appeal. Behind the accusation is an assumption: an assumption that, given the choice, the opportunist would prefer the company of liberals, as such, to conservatives, as such. I do not share that assumption. Frankly, I doubt that Tunku (a graduate of Oxford) shares it either. It’s just theater.
Still, the accusation is lodged, so let me answer it directly. I’ve spoken up for my conservative principles in many places beside this website. I happened to be in London during the great anti-Iraq war protests of February 2003. I was standing in Trafalgar Square when somebody recognized me. Pretty soon i was surrounded by a crowd of a couple of hundred people, challenging me to defend the imminent war. I stood on the lip of the fountain and answered their questions, face to face, for the next hour. In October 2005, President Bush nominated his friend Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court. Radio host Laura Ingraham and I were the first two conservatives to challenge that nomination. (We were accused of elitism then too.) In October 2008 I was invited onto the Rachel Maddow show to discuss my criticisms of Sarah Palin – only Maddow prefaced the interview with a snide personal attack upon Paul Wolfowitz – so I launched into Maddow instead.
When it comes time to stand up, I know how to stand up. I’m standing up now.
Frum, you are too close to see, but social inclusion- or more importantly, its obverse in the form of shunning and ridicule- are a basic part of how liberals control things. You don’t like Sarah Palin and other unpolished lower middle-class Republicans so you got on board with the shaming and humiliation dished out so “liberally” since the summer of 2008. It’s textbook bullying, which you aren’t crude enough to initiate, but you were quite willing to go along with once it got started. It’s pretty low stuff, and it makes you a bad person. You’ll have plenty of time to go on MSNBC and hold Keith Olbermann’s coat, or the Daily Show and hold Jon Stewart’s. I’d wish you well in your life as a toady, but the truth is it’s pretty miserable, and while you might be glad the cool kids are laughing at somebody else, they will never accept you, and if you ever get out of line you will be checked hard. But it is the life you have chosen.
I don’t know why you would want people to see you on this clip. It doesn’t make you look very good
You are the target of a smear campaign because you told the truth.You are the victim of a purity purge that is going on in the GOP.Either toe the party line or get out.The new GOP.Limbaugh runs the party now, not Boehner or McConnel.You have to hate liberals and Democrats to be a party member now.Or throw bricks thru windows, or cut gas lines.Way to go gop.
Then there are the nasty Jew haters constantly attacking you and the legendary neocons.
that’s the only thing i like about david actually. what democrats, the NYT and liberals hate about him –and they HATE the NEOCONS–I love…especially when it comes to his strong stance on Iraq, Iran, national security, foreign policy and Israel.
which is worse, frum getting the boot, or joe lieberman being treated like a traitor by democrats in 2006?
Launched into Rachel Maddow?
DavidF, you should know by now that your new found farLeft pals chalk your interview up with Maddow –as Yes We Can youtube channel puts it– “Frum came unhinged at the slightest provocation and MSNBC’s Maddow handed him his head after a serious set of intellectual blows to his shrinking brain.”
Now that HuffPo, Daily Kos, DemocratUnderground, Michael Moore and other websites have alerted their crazies to “encourage division in the GOP and the conservative movement”, you have to wonder if your march down the path to that liberal MSM abyss is as well-intended and appreciated by them as you might have thought when their seductive producers first called and wanted “your take”, “your opinion”, “your insight” into another Palin Pounding, Bush Bashing, Limbaugh Lynching, Cheney Chiding, Beck Bonzai Bonanza moment of the day.
Don’t let the little whisperings from the farLeft FrumBot trolls here take you away from the course of redemption.
An eternity of disloyalty awaits you in the partisan Hell we all call the farLeft.
America is in dire need of strong voices to oppose further government intervention. The moderates haven’t found their voices — they appear weak and bitter. The progressive movement is determined to use this Obama-opportunity, their majority, to make advances in statism — to institutionalize their ideology which leads to an American-style socialism — close to nationalization, but not quite — but even the died-in-the-wool socialists no longer believe in nationalizing industry — just controlling their actions — same results, just as fascism rendered the same results — Mises was right. If I could see moderates take a strong, unequivocal stance against the progressives, I’d listen more closely to their criticisms of the conservative base — but right now they are not a viable, trustworthy alternative. As a libertarian, I see the moderates as an obstacle to real change — they are more like gatekeepers of the status quo.
http://www.bonzai.squarespace.com
mike farmer // Mar 26, 2010 at 8:06 am
…….You spend endless time talking about communism being inflicted upon us but you seem to be all for democracy but against the results of elections
johnmarzan // Mar 26, 2010 at 7:15 am
“and they HATE the NEOCONS–I love”
………You apparently share the belief of most of the neocons that the capital of the US is Tel Aviv
Doesn’t it seem strange that “polite” is now a dirty word when used by conservatives? I thought politeness was part of what should be conserved.
johnmarzan: that’s the only thing i like about david actually. what democrats, the NYT and liberals hate about him –and they HATE the NEOCONS
You might want to reconsider putting the NY Times in there – they were cheerleading us right into Iraq back in 2003.
…….If Landon had made one more speech, FDR would have carried Canada……just to prove nothing changes here’s a link to FDR’s speech about Republican enthusiasm for reform
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRZUaW0HwCM&feature=related
…..What Republicans don’t understand is that Obama is FDR’s equal in guile and ability to communicate
Georgetown Cocktail Parties // Mar 26, 2010 at 1:01 pm
[...] with their intolerance and boorishness, their shrillness and their talk radio,” David Frum can only but laugh. Ah! Those Beltway dinner parties, those Georgetown cocktail parties, those [...]
The American Conservative » Living in the Frum Forum // Mar 26, 2010 at 1:26 pm
[...] a playfully self-deprecating hint that karma might be involved. (And Frum can be a witty guy, as evidenced in this recent post in which he takes to task the Sarah Palin-Glenn Beck style of conservatism in passing—might TAC [...]
jmshendricks wrote “You’ll have plenty of time to go on MSNBC and hold Keith Olbermann’s coat, or the Daily Show and hold Jon Stewart’s”
Actually Jon Stewart would be a good venue. Stewart while liberal actualy can hold a discourse and see both sides. Most of Stewart’s veiwer ship are middle of the road. I’m sure they’d love to hear from the Conservative thats still conservitive but not a Beck or Palin flunky.
jmshendricks : ” and if you ever get out of line you will be checked hard. But it is the life you have chosen.”
Alas the nail that sticks out gets hammered. Doesn’t mean the nail was wrong in his assesment or stance…whats that motivational phrase from school? “Stand up for what you belive in, even if your standing alone.” I belive it goes.
Why would a conservative offer critique of other conservatives just to hang-out and be accepted by liberals? That is ridiculous! Are you guys serious? Thanks for making me aware of the fact that you conservatives seem to be as paranoid as some of my progressive brothers and sisters.
In my view President Obama is too moderate, but I recognize and respect the fact that the nation is made up people with different worldviews, perhaps you conservatives should do the same.
@ johnmarzan // Mar 26, 2010 at 7:15 am
“…–and they HATE the NEOCONS–I love…’’
jm…”the NEOCONS–[you] love…”
Are for the most part despicable cheerleaders of war and warfare; to which they never, ever, deigned to commit their very own, warm, comfortable, [often obese] physical bodies to accomplish or win.
They dream of and hatch political scenarios whereby they might convince other fools’ to carry their water and to fulfill their dreams of avarice, mayhem, violence and plundered riches…
Oh, to be a despicable NEOCON…!
Yes, a conservative, but not without honor.
Now you can recognize how some screeds were seen by anyone not radically conservative. Obama is not the Anti Christ, Clinton was not the worst person since (pick) And Ronie was not a god. Maybe some economists that disagree with the gospel have a good idea once in a while.
I hope you are successful in bring truth. In what seems a contrast to so many of your detractors, you actually have a real home and a wife who likes you.
Hooray, Mr Frum! I can’t see why a serious consistent philosophy like yours can be dubbed ‘toadyism”! Luckily, the America of Ronald Reagan, Bush 1 & 2, Cheney, the AEI is dying: good riddance! As a cautious economic conservate apalled at the reckless waste of money these rascals (pardon me,) indulged in over these 30 years. You have a great future, and countless admirers! Thank you.
Independent: Now that HuffPo, Daily Kos, DemocratUnderground, Michael Moore and other websites have alerted their crazies to “encourage division in the GOP and the conservative movement”, you have to wonder if your march down the path to that liberal MSM abyss is as well-intended and appreciated by them as you might have thought
I like to keep political thought about the major issues of the day, entirely separate from political activism.
The tactics of political activism–unity, loyalty, marching to the same drummer, spin–should not be applied to political thought. Political thought should be fresh, creative, independent, and dedicated to the truth, regardless of whom it helps or hurts. If you agree that the GOP needs fresh ideas for today’s issues, then you have to accept the concept of free inquiry: Let all kinds of ideas be proposed, and then we can see what works and what might sell. But don’t insist that we have to restrict our thinking by current political squabbles. Those will pass.
Frum seems to have started this FrumForum to engage in political thought about the issues of the day. Not to worry about what DailyKos thinks of it or what RedState thinks of it. Those guys are engaged in activism. They spend most of their time devising tactics to elect candidates.
And perhaps you belong there.
Because advancing the political fortunes of the GOP seems to be what you care most about.
Mike Farmer: As a libertarian, I see the moderates as an obstacle to real change — they are more like gatekeepers of the status quo.
The GOP became a successful party when it rejected libertarianism, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, and the John Birch Society.
The mixed economy is here to stay. Sorry.
The Federal Reserve is here to stay. Sorry.
The 19th century was not some Golden Age. If scientists could invent time travel, I doubt that more than 1% of Americans at most would want to travel back to the 19th century to live in it. Sorry.
Put away your copy of “Atlas Shrugged.” It ain’t gonna happen.
I am very much a conservative. But I recognize that there are such things as market failures; that national security does trump market considerations; and that basic human decency and communitarianism (the melting pot of Americans) can also trump market considerations. Striking a balance between government intervention in such areas vs the often negative side effects of such interventions is hard. But it must be done.
EBay.com is as close to a pure laissez-faire capitalist model as there is. But EBay isn’t the basis of a stable society. Think about it.
sinz54 // Mar 27, 2010 at 9:50 am
“Striking a balance between government intervention in such areas vs the often negative side effects of such interventions is hard. But it must be done.”
…..OMG Sinz how can I stand this…..we are 100% on the same page….and I love the useful corrective to some of the myths which seem largely lie at the bottom of much Republican thinking and here’s a another…..when government spending totals 4.6 trillion big government is here to stay…..Sorry
http://gawker.com/5503007/brick-fatwa-libertarian-also-gets-fat-government-checks
…..David has a link to this Gawker piece about the Republican brick throwing enthusiast that is hilarious…….he lives on 1300 bucks a month disability payments from the govt…..hilarious
ottovbvs
Oh that’s so interesting! If someone gets any assistance from the government for any reason, they can’t hold a position that the government is wrong about anything without being accused of hypocrisy by socialists.
franco 2 // Mar 27, 2010 at 11:15 am
“If someone gets any assistance from the government for any reason, they can’t hold a position that the government is wrong about anything without being accused of hypocrisy by socialists.”
…..We draw the line at the Kristallnacht approach
Keep standing David.
However,
I did not agree with the “Republican Waterloo”
Remember this.
1.If Olympia Snowe could not get on board that tells you something.
2. The only bi-partisan thing about health care was the opposition.
I am a Canadian but would still like to weight in with a comment. Although I’m not one of conservative political philosophy in Canadian terms but rather more specifically supportive of those of the New Democratic Party, I have always been drawn to learn what David Frum has had to say on U.S. issues of the day. Just a matter of three or four days past I heard him analyse the state of the Republican Party. He never disappoints. He is a man (and journalist) of clear-headed integrity and for this Canadian he gives me hope that the United States will come out of these starkly divided times strong and united in a common purpose for all its citizens. Canadians think of ‘Americans’ as a generous and empathetic people world-wide and only wish they could seamlessly apply these traits in legislative form without acrimony for all of their countrymen. Let’s hope that Mr. Frum continues to have a forum.
While it was troubling to see the party rely so heavily on “wedge issues”, it’s even more so to see it has given up issues and intellectual honesty altogether in favor of…”wedge characterizations!”
Pejorative insults personal characterization do not make for a political platform, and yet, here we are. With the entire party falling upon David Frum’s shoulders for “cocktail elitism”, I’m going to venture that the intellectual foundations of conservatism need shoring up.
Rocketship7 // Mar 27, 2010 at 7:07 pm
“However,
I did not agree with the “Republican Waterloo”
Remember this.
1.If Olympia Snowe could not get on board that tells you something.”
…..Yep sure does….. she wanted to hang onto her committee positions which would have been yanked if she’d bucked her party over this!!
Frum’s Firing | Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture // Jan 13, 2012 at 2:50 pm
[...] is defending himself from his new enemies in typical fashion. Frum's website now features testimony to his [...]