A Corner Junkie Writes

Some astute judgments:

You had back-to-back posts on NRO's Lopez and Levin yesterday, and I wanted to comment. I like The Corner, and check it almost everyday. But I find it's much better just to skip Lopez and Levin, read Ramesh Ponnuru, skim the others and move along.  Here's the deal: Lopez and Levin have three basic posts: (1) "A True Conservative believes X," (2) "A True Conservative does not believe Y," and (3) "Mr. [or Gov. or Sen.] Z is not a True Conservative because he does not believe X, or he does believe Y."  Of course, this is an easy way to make a living, but not very original or thoughtful. 

Let's try it out:  A True Conservative believes "in waterboarding."

Sen. McCain is not a True Conservative because he does not believe "in waterboarding."  (OK, I cheated.  I've read your blog.)  But you get the point, because there's really so little to get.  There are no candidates who approach what Lopez and Levin want, and no President could ever govern that way (see, e.g., Reagan).  But they love the talk.  Lopez and Levin want a small-tent Republican party: no libertarians, no moderates, no compassionate conservatives, no McCain, no Huckabee, no Rudy, no ideas of recent vintage.  And no discussion!  We're talking to you Brooks, and to you too, Kristol.  Shape up or ship out.

Note: Lopez has one other basic post, the kind you linked to today.  "President Bush completes me because today he said [or did] X."  Thus, President Bush completes me because today he "was giddy around nuns."