Taking Down Buchanan, Rich and Quindlen

Russ Smith takes some well-deserved whacks at a trio of essayists:

Meanwhile, as left-wing pundits rejoice in Bush's low approval poll numbers—hovering in the mid-40s—Patrick Healy's "Week in Review" story in Sunday's Times, "Believe It: The Media's Credibility Headache Gets Worse," suggests that goofballs like Rich ought to look in the mirror. The statistic Healy reports isn't one you usually see, so take note: "In the post-Watergate 1970's, some 25 to 30 percent of Americans reported to the Harris Poll that they had a great deal of confidence in the press, more than they had in Congress, unions or corporate America. In the 2005 poll, the press ranked only ahead of law firms, with 12 percent reporting high confidence in the media."

Not that Newsweek's self-flagellation—although The New Republic's Martin Peretz called editor Mark Whitaker's explanation "insultingly wan words"—has extended to the magazine's resident sociologist Anna Quindlen. The former Times op-ed columnist, novelist, moral theologian and latter-day feminist attended Columbia University's recent graduation ceremonies and came up with the conclusion that "the terrorists did win" because "since September 11, we've become more like them." I assume Quindlen is excluding herself, and it would be generous, if unexpected, if she extended the same courtesy to the vast majority of Americans.

See, also Mugger's whack at Green Day and Home Depot.