As in George McGovern. Remember him? Didn’t think so. Most notably he was the Democratic candidate for President in 1972. He lost by a few billion votes. But, being true to his liberal upbring, he still takes a few swings from time to time. In a essay in Harper’s called “The Case for Liberalism” McGovern says:

“President Bush has said repeatedly that the terrorists hate us because of our freedom. I don’t believe that. The world’s people have always admired our freedom. What they don’t like is the arrogance and indifference to world opinion inherent in so much of our international policy. Plenty of my fellow citizens don’t like that either. I’m not alone in my dislike of the way our government is waging the so-called war against terrorism, in my opposition to a war with Iraq and to calling Iraq, Iran, and North Korea the “axis of evil.” And I intend to press these points as long as I believe my convictions are grounded in common sense, patriotism, and veneration of life.”

This is very interesting because we have been discussing this in many different facets on this site.

I have wondered how the President could lump Korea as “evil” then openly expect them to work with us in resolving the co-called nuclear issue. N. Korea dropped that on the US like the Fat Boy on Japan. I actually wonder if it was a calculated response to the World War 2-ish “Axis of Evil” brand Bush attempted to stick to them. It certainly called into account this administrations hypocritical response to the nuclear issue. Ready to wag war in Iraq, but asking other allies to negotiate with N. Korea.

But this just brings forward two issues in my mind. One, the Wall Street Journal, where I discovered this nugget on McGovern, has often appeared as a liberal publication, but lately has taken to siding with the conservative stances of Bush and bashing liberals when they attempt to raise other points of view. Conservativism (if that is really a word) seems to be in fashion right now, and it worries me when one-time liberal leanings start to lean back.

Simply, there are plenty of Republican publications to poke and prod at us liberals. But when liberals start dressing as conservatives, I start to worry. Maybe they weren’t really liberals to begin with. Maybe some of these publications are simply printing what they may in order to sell, thinking their readers now want some old fashion liberal bashing.

But the scientific process asks for skepticism. That is what we have attempted to do here. Whether or not we are good at it is another issue entirely. But looking at every issue under the lens of skepticism first is healthy in my book. That is what George McGovern was attempting to do.

I don’t agree with McGovern on a whole lot, but the WSJ’s assertation that he should have run for office in other country makes him sound like a trator for writing an essay. Odd that a WSJ reporter would nearly attack his 1st Amd. right.

Then again, it’s the end of the day and I’m tired already.