The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.
Out on a Limb
“Dim Hopes for a Free Press in China”–headline, New York Times, Jan. 15
News of the Tautological
“Traditional Wood Antiques Are Beginning to Get Old”–headline, Journal News (White Plains, N.Y.), Jan. 13
Breaking News From 1982
“49ers Are 1 Win From Reaching Super Bowl at Last”–headline, Associated Press, Jan. 14
They Call Her Charlie
Huffington Post hostess Arianna Huffington has an interesting take on Chuck Hagel’s beleaguered nomination to be defense secretary:
The latest canard is about Hagel’s supposed “temperament.” The charge was made this past Sunday by Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, appearing on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. “I think another thing, George, that’s going to come up is just his overall temperament,” said Corker, “and is he suited to run a department or a big agency or a big entity like the Pentagon?” Given that this was a new one, Stephanopoulos asked, slightly incredulously, “Do you have questions about his temperament?” Corker replied, “I think there are numbers of staffers who are coming forth now just talking about the way he has dealt with them.”
Ah yes, his temperament. It’s a modern-day male version of the old dig that used to be directed at women, that they might be “[moody]” and therefore shouldn’t be put too close to big boy military equipment.
So Hagel is the victim of . . . sexism? Meanwhile, Politico reports that in a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer, Hagel apologized for referring to “the Jewish lobby” and said he now considers Hezbollah a terrorist group. …
For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.”
