Netanyahu

If you didn't have a chance to attend our Ashbrook Memorial Dinner, you should listen to Benjamin Netanyahu's talk (about 30 minutes) and his response to questions (another 30 minutes). He was clear eyed, learned, authoritative, and tough. Just the way I like my politicians. I discovered that he is a lover of Churchill (no surprise), but he also revealed that he is most fond of Lincoln. He said that the more he reads Lincoln the more he appreciates Abe's great mind, his great prudence, and his clear oratory. Netanyahu said that no politician ever spoke more clearly and with more poetry than Lincoln. He told the Ashbrook Scholars (in a private meeting of an hour) that they ought to try not using Latin words when they speak. A hard thing to do, but worth the effort; see the Gettysburg Address. Netanyahu is right about many matters. The introductory comments from Marv Krinsky and me are about seven minutes, then he starts.

Politics

There is no question that we are in the introductory phase of the 2004 elections. Interesting polls are starting to come out showing that Bush's popularity remains very high. Only FDR maintained such popularity for this length of time (after Pearl Harbor). But note that this popularity is deep and has gone way beyond the natural uptick as a result of 9/11 and the war. People are now trusting Bush. They see that he is a president with certain qualities that have revealed themselves; he is a real leader who is liked both for his personal qualities and his judgment. They also like his sense of humor and his ordinary aspect. He is Harry Truman-like; common and straightforward.

Also note some of the California polls that suggest that Bush (who lost California by twelve points to Gore) would win that state if he ran against Gore again by seven points. All of this poses some huge problems for Democrats: they have to figure out how to go after the GOP (and, therefore Bush) for the 2002 Congressional elections as a lead-in to the presidential contest of 2004. They have yet to find a soft spot into which they can place a crowbar and pry. It is certainly the case that no Democrat leader has come forth with any interesting ideas. It is also true that each Democratic leader—in his own way—lacks certain qualities that are necessary: pith and eloquence, just to cite two (never mind a sense of humor!). Michael Barone gives a good overview of the 2002 races, while Tod Lindberg offers a more artful analysis of the relationship between the presidential and congressional elections.

Culture

Robotic rodents? That's right. Apparently, scientists can now control the movements of live rodents via a laptop. There are, of course, brain implants and tiny radio "backpacks" involved. These Ratbots could be used for rescuing victims in earthquakes, discovering landmines, and so on.

A poll conducted of 100 living authors by the Norwegian Nobel Institute concluded that Cervantes's Don Quixote is the best and most important work of fiction ever written. I have nothing against Cervantes and I don't even doubt that his book is "important" in the sense that it had an effect on future literature. But that does not mean that it is the best. What may be the most important is not the same as the best. The real question is what is the best. Real judgments have to be made on that one, and I am not at all sure I would trust contemporary authors (Rushdie, Fuentes, et al) to make that judgment. Give me Shakespeare, Twain, or Austen, then we can talk.

International

The press has continued to misreport and misunderstand (surprise!) the murder of the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn. Although I would not agree with every position he took, this was no fascist or racist. He was interested in talking about assimilating immigrants, especially Muslims, into Dutch life. The fact that he brought the subject up made him—in the press—into a right wing fanatic. The best article on this is by Rod Dreher.

If you are still worried about the Middle East and Bush's involvement (or not) in it, read this piece by John Podhoretz. This is pretty much my opinion. Bush knows what he is doing (and it's OK to let the press and the talking heads be confused) and he is not about to allow his larger purposes be defeated by a detailed hands-on involvement in trying to "solve" the Israel-Palestine issue as if it is unrelated to other issues in the region. Before he is finished there will be a new political reality in this rough corner of the world, one that tyrants and terrorists will not like.

Second Amendment

Given the upcoming debate and Supreme Court decision on the Second Amendment this site seems to me to be very useful. It is from UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh.