"In his latest diatribe, Christopher Hitchens declares Joe Wilson clueless and then proceeds to demonstrate that he is the one floundering in fantasy land and devoid of clear reason. Maybe this is a consequence of sleep deprivation (lack of sleep can have deleterious effects on one's mental acuity). I cannot explain his addled ways, but look at what Hitchens writes and you will agree, the man is clueless....read on"

Christopher Hitchens: Not So Brave

via A Tiny Revolution : I can see why Christopher Hitchens has refused to debate Dennis Perrin.

Don't forget to check out Mile's Blog Round-Up. We are still posting a bunch of cool things.

When Christopher Hitchens practically starts foaming at the mouth with Clinton Derangement Syndrome while on the topic of President-elect Obama's national security team, a very calm Joan Walsh takes him to woodshed and appears to get him pretty flustered. Fireworks start around 9:25 in.

Hitchens: "[Choosing Hillary Clinton] still divides us between those who think a job must be found for Hillary Clinton, that the country would somewhat be disgraced if she wasn't in an important position and those of us who could do without her."

Walsh: "But that second group is a very small group. It's a group of eccentric Clinton haters who have made a living out of trashing the Clinton. It's a small group. It's not an important group in American foreign or domestic policy."

Hitchens: "Which group are you talking about?"

Walsh: "The group of people who would rather see Hillary Slinton off the world stage. I don't think Barack Obama was thinking about that at all because that group of people are eccentric, they are devoted to looking at everything the Clintons do in the worst possible light, and hes trying to solve problems."

Awesome.

As Media Matters notes: Why does MSNBC continue to invite on Christopher Hitchens to bash Hillary Clinton?

Empirically speaking, Barack Obama possesses a special kind of charisma that inspires and uplifts people, as evidenced by the talk of an Obama baby boom due to the euphoria surrounding his election. What I don't get is the diametrically opposite reaction that the Clintons, both separately and together, seem to evoke in The Villagers. Chris Matthews' obsession is long documented, and there's no one better to get your unhinged, irrational Clinton hatred on with than the drink-soaked popinjay Christopher Hitchens.

Let's keep score, shall we? Hitch is the guy that has been cheerleading the Iraq invasion and occupation (still does, as you can see from the video). Cheering arguably the biggest blunder of foreign policy we've ever committed and one that most people understand to be an epic fail. And he's on to criticize Bill Clinton--who will NOT be a member of Obama's cabinet--and while highly imperfect, did manage to lead the country to a prosperity and global status that we can only distantly and fondly remember. Why? Doesn't his continued support of our actions in Iraq speak for his judgment and grasp on reality?

And can I just object right here and now to the misogynistic and patronizing framing? Apparently the meme is that Hillary is too ambitious and self-serving to actually serve Obama's agenda. Based on what? Running a bare knuckle campaign? I don't think that if his primary rival had been a man that this would come up at all. The media was falling all over itself to talk about how cordial the meeting between Obama and McCain was yesterday. And what does it imply about Obama's strength that the assumption is that Hillary would railroad him (presumably with Bill, because to hear the media talk, you'd assume they were some sort of Machiavellian conjoined twins)? It's completely insulting on many levels.

The back-stabbing Bill and Hillary meme (one entirely conceived by GOP strategists, dutifully regurgitated in the media and swallowed sadly all-too-often by otherwise smart liberals) has gotten so out of hand that as Eric Boehlert reports for Media Matters, Fox News is already openly contemplating how Obama needs to fire her. For a job that (as of this writing) she has not been announced for and that does not take effect for another two months. Strike anyone else as premature?

War and Piece: G-Dub to close Gitmo?

William K. Wolfrum: Christopher Hitchens lets Vanity Fair blow off his legs, kill his entire family, destroy his home; he writes about it

MediaBloodhound: PBS and NBC's symbiotic sins of omission, and Fox's thirteeen-year-olds.

TalkLeft: Is the government tracking you? At least one Federal Judge still believes warrantless spying is illegal.

David E's Fablog: The newspaper of record's fawning profile of professional liar Limbaugh made me sick. Imagine how David E. felt when he noticed his name in the article!

Angry Bear: Republicans warn that Democrats will cause a difference

During an exchange on Tim Russert's show last weekend about the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Christopher Hitchens mocked his fellow Englishman Andrew Sullivan when he forgets the second point he was trying to make.

Download | play Download | play

Transcript via MM:

SULLIVAN: Two things. One, it's important to clear up that he [Wright] did not say "The Jews are going to get you" in some conspiratorial, classic anti-Semitic fashion. I think that's just --

HITCHENS: He [Wright] thinks only Jews are going to object to [Rev. Louis] Farrakhan and [Libyan leader Moammar] Gadhafi. Excuse me?

SULLIVAN: No, he didn't say "only."

HITCHENS: No, but --

SULLIVAN: Again, you keep playing with that quote. We're happy to have it on the record. And now you've made me forget my second point, which is --

HITCHENS: Oh, well, don't be such a lesbian. Get on with it.

At least Sullivan doesn't seem to take offense to Hitchens' remark.

For a change of pace:

Christopher Hitchens on Why Women Aren't Funny. Alessandra Stanley on why Hitchens is wrong...again.

A lot of attention around the blogs yesterday to the anniversary of G-Dub's "Mission Accomplished" fantasy of four years ago. Here's the most appropriate tribute I ran across. Oh, and King George, no doubt inspired by other authoritarian rulers, decreed that yesterday was Loyalty Day"

Cynical-C Blog: If you're wondering who's to blame for the Va. Tech massacre, Chris has a list of 58 suspects

Cause for Concern: The media loves a good weed story...

Scoobie Davis Online: Bernard Goldberg asks: Why do liberals hate Fox News? Scoobie's got the answers. Related: This talking meat stick actually gets paid for his lunatic musings and... Brian Williams once said he loves Rush. Last Thursday evening, he proved it

Politics in the Zeros: A Brief History of the Car Bomb

HOLY CRAP: Breaching the 'Wall of Separation'...Satan destroying America through illegal immigration...A look at that other Prophet...Theocrat of the Week...A massive rally in support of secular government...We reported this a while back but nobody does it like Digby...Mitt Romney hearts L. Ron Hubbard...Southern Baptist seminary president says Romney's Mormonism should be a stumbling block for evangelical voters...Conservative Black Pastors fight bill on hate crimes...Christopher Hitchens loves the Family Research Council, but not God...True believers ready to kick some atheist behind...Just a matter of days until the Answers in Genesis Creation Museum opens! ...Get out your crayons, the Institute for Creation Research has put out a call for scholarly papers...

Think Progress:

"A new report by Seymour Hersh finds that senior Bush administration officials are developing plans for a massive attack on Iran which could include nuclear weapons. Hersh points out that the Joint Chiefs of Staff-a panel of the highest-ranking military officials from each branch of the U.S. armed services - are strenuously opposed to the plan, so much so that some have threatened to resign if it goes forward...read on"

Christopher Hitchen's who has joined his wagon to the neocon kool-aid over Iraq actually has been very outspoken against attacking Iran. As Arthur notes: "Careful: Sanity May Be Catching"

"Christopher Hitchens -- yes, Christopher Hitchens! -- on the prospect of a nuclear Iran"

Christopher Hitchens meets a character named REALITY.

Then read about Thomas B. Reed, an American Hero.