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AUTHOR OF ‘HIT THE ROAD’ NEWSWEEK COVER STORY SKEWERS HIS CRITICS
Being a conservative in any predominately liberal environment is difficult. Being a conservative at Newsweek is likely prohibitively difficult. And being the conservative whose message lands on Newsweek’s cover seemed, until this week, to be nigh impossible.
Enter Niall Ferguson, the rogue columnist responsible for the recent Newsweek cover story calling for President Obama to be voted out of office. Ferguson’s article has been slammed by several different sources for what those sources claim are factual inaccuracies and/or arguments in bad faith. Ferguson first acknowledged these attacks when he hit back against New York Times columnist Paul Krugman for misconstruing an argument that Ferguson had made about the Congressional Budget Office.
Well, now Ferguson has extended his attack beyond Krugman to the entire academic Left in a blistering four page blog entry countering numerous claims that Ferguson considers unfair. Most of the entry gets very deeply into the policy weeds, and if you want to read them all, you can look at Ferguson’s full take-down here. However, we do want to call your attention to the end, where he mockingly hands out “prizes” to his critics for specific varieties of ridiculousness:
First prize goes to Berkeley professor Brad DeLong, whose blog opened with the headline “Fire-His-Ass-Now.” “He lied,” rants DeLong. “Convene a committee at Harvard to examine whether he has the moral character to teach at a university.” My own counter-suggestion would be to convene a committee at Berkeley to examine whether or not Professor DeLong is spending too much of his time blogging when he really should be conducting serious research or teaching his students. For example, why hasn’t Professor DeLong published that economic history of the 20th century he’s been promising for the past six years? It can’t be writer’s block, that’s for sure.
dude
August 22nd, 2012
I have been receiving Newsweek in the mail for free, no bill or statement, has this been happening to anyone else? I usally throw it in recycle pile. But I’m framing this copy, it came in the mail yesterday.
mkultra
August 22nd, 2012
Hilarious. ‘Convene a committee at Harvard to examine whether he has the moral character to teach at a university.’
Does he mean this kind of moral character?
http://tinyurl.com/3gxzq2x
LOL.
John Bruno
August 22nd, 2012
I agree with the dude and it should be framed. The true title should of read: Hit The Road Barack and Don’t Let The Door to The White House Hit You on the Ass Hard on Your Way Out!”
Stirrin the B.S.
August 22nd, 2012
@mkultra – LOL!
But you and I know that there is no moral judgement associated with any sexual act if you’re a progressive – only if you voice opposition to one.
Libra
August 22nd, 2012
Niall Ferguson is more than simply a “rogue columnist.” He is one of the most respected of contemporary historians.
Hotlanta Mike
August 22nd, 2012
Niall has had to suffer these fools at the Ivy League universities where he has taught, so rebuffing these partisans is a piece of cake for him.
Laurie
August 22nd, 2012
I also received Newsweek for free and un-asked for. I bought some flowers from ProFlowers and that seemed to start it. I tried to halt it, but they said Proflowers needed to be the one to stop it since they started it. Proflowers ignored me when I complained.
Ma Deuce
August 23rd, 2012
I receive several unsolicited magazines – People/Newsweek/Better Homes&Garden/- most go straight into trash. I keep the Sports Illustrated.
May have to rethink Newsweek if they continue to come around under new editor.