This was a bit odd, from a column by Richard Cohen in the Washington Post, discussed at Glenn Greenwald and Eschaton. Mr Cohen is saying that the prosecution of Lewis Libby has been “to make a mountain out of a molehill”, and then:

This is not an entirely trivial matter since government officials should not lie to grand juries, but neither should they be called to account for practicing the dark art of politics. As with sex or real estate, it is often best to keep the lights off.

Apart from the putrid attempted gag about real estate and sex, just consider the stupidity of his point: government officials should not be called to account for practicing politics. What kind of journalist would write something like that? Why would you even continue to work as a journalist covering politics if that was your belief? It would be like a music critic saying, “Actually, I don't think people ought to publish opinions about music.” I think it is often best to retire if that's how you see it.

The world is full of people occupying some post in a profession they apparently despise, and their only effect is to make everyone else think the same. “Only some unambitious nerd and loser,” they suggest, “would actually take this seriously and devote himself to the craft, when there is big money to be made schmoozing and being a blowhard.” And what suffers? Mainly the profession. Now nobody in his right mind thinks the big news organizations are reliable guides to anything except sports and TV listings.

Labels: Vocational Guidance