Andrew Sullivan Responds to My Last Post
Andrew writes:
On Hagel, I wrote that "Goldblog made the calculation, staying politically neutral (which is itself a political decision for him to retain access with both the Obama administration and the American Jewish Establishment)." Goldblog objects:What calculation did I make? I simply stated yesterday morning that it didn't seem likely that AIPAC would be making a cause of defeating the Hagel nomination. (Later reporting, by Eli Lake and others, confirmed this.)I could quibble about the manner and tone of Goldblog's writing on Hagel, but he's basically right on this. I was too hasty and unfair. I apologize.
What political decision did I make? I had already written in favor of Chuck Hagel's nomination for secretary of defense -- I even wrote that his straight talk could be good for Israel to hear. "Maybe, at this point, what we need are American officials who will speak with disconcerting bluntness to Israel about the choices it is making," is what I wrote, to the displeasure of some in Andrew's "American Jewish Establishment." How is this neutral?
I'm not sure what the quibbles would be, but never mind. I appreciate that Andrew revisited his post on the issue.