Check this out, Matt Yglesias was dissing on an obscure D.C. outfit, Third Way, a few days ago. Today, the CEO of The Center For American Progress put up a Very Special Post on his weblog clarifying that CAP thinks much of Third Way. Creepy. I guess we always knew there was a puppet master back there, but it seems a bit unseemly to pull the strings so publicly.
- Log in to post comments
I was very shocked by the public nature of this slapdown. There is something sad about a decades-old established think tank being cautious about rocking the boat even a little - but for a supposedly ambitious and up and coming think tank to be so timid is pathetic.
I wonder why on earth CAP hired Yglesias if they are this wary of internal dissent on the left? This is the guy whose willingness to criticise his own side led to the Yglesias Award for just that willingness, after all.
As for Yglesias, who will ever feel they can trust what he writes again about other left of centre organisations, at least as long as he remains at CAP?
"As for Yglesias, who will ever feel they can trust what he writes again about other left of centre organisations, at least as long as he remains at CAP?"
I don't think it's time yet to go that far, unless you're using it as pressure against CAP to retract this. We should wait and see what happens.
I'd have posted this on yglesias' site, but after 250+ comments, I doubt anyone would read the thing.
I also was very shocked by the public nature of this slapdown. I think this event goes beyond the politics.
*snicker*
This emasculation couldn't have happened to a better guy. It's delicious because Yglesias' power-worship won't let him do anything that would reflect self-respect like, say, walk away from CAP for such an insulting intrusion. He'll bend over and play along, and for all the hot air coming from his commentors they'll keep right on reading him. Because at the end of the day, biting the hand that feeds you is simply not an act people who love power are capable of -- even if it does slap them around now and then. They deserve all the abuse they get, and more.
I hate him and everything he stands for.
The Third way link goes to Yglisias' blog--not the Third Way