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Saturday, May 31, 2008
What to do with Florida, Michigan delegates: ‘Profiles in Truthiness’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Democrats are in Washington at this very moment, seeking a compromise to the disputed convention delegates from Florida and Michigan.
Drew Westen, the Emory University professor of psychiatry turned Democratic political consultant, has been watching the drama on C-Span.
Westen sends this note:
Watching the Democrats try to sell their various positions on television today is like watching exactly what we saw in the brain scans of committed partisan Democrats and Republicans in the 2004 election: The facts are completely irrelevant.
Virtually all those who have spoken seem earnestly to have convinced themselves, and are trying to convince the committee (who themselves generally have strong feelings on who they want to be the nominee and are thus uninfluenced by data) that the constellation of facts that best fits their desired outcomes is the “correct” one.
It’s like arguing to the Supreme Court in 2000 whether we should count or not count ballots:
Partisan minds (whether committed to a party or candidate) simply find the arguments that lead them to feel good and reject those that would lead to emotionally inconvenient truths, and then find the rationalizations for their feelings. They should rename these proceedings, “Profiles in Truthiness.”
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Ron Paul on Bob Barr: ‘He’s called me a couple times recently’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Newsweek has a Q&A with Republican presidential slogger, Ron Paul, who has refused to concede the race to John McCain. Here are a few of the points:
What are your feelings toward [Libertarian nominee] Bob Barr?
We’re pretty friendly. We’re allies, he’s a good friend. He has called me a couple times recently, so it’s very cordial.
Even though he has been targeting your supporters?
I can’t blame him. I’m sure that’s his goal. [Laughs]
What’s your relationship like with McCain?
It pretty much doesn’t exist. He has his beliefs and I have mine, and they just don’t come together very well.
Most of your supporters are libertarian. Why are you still a Republican?
It affords me opportunities to talk about the Constitution. If I had not been in one of the major parties, I wouldn’t have been in the debates. If I hadn’t been in the debates, no one would have ever heard of me.
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