← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · SARTRE
Thread ID: 9383 | Posts: 4 | Started: 2003-08-29
2003-08-29 11:48 | User Profile
[url=http://pages.zdnet.com/sartre65/wrack/id40.html]How can intelligent citizens support George W Bush?[/url]
Following is the Michael Fumento's response to the above article:
Writing in something called www.intellectualconservative.com, James Hall (who writes openly under the pen name of ââ¬ÅSarte,ââ¬Â) declares that, ââ¬ÅFor those who think that the American Enterprise Institute is really a right wing think tank, examine the influence of the likes of Richard Perle, Michael Fumento and Michael Ledeen. These renegades are counterfeit conservatives, and form the backbone of Bush advisors.ââ¬Â Iââ¬â¢m hardly counterfeit, but neither have I been associated in any way, shape or form with AEI in over five years. Even then, it was only for one year. And I doubt if George Bush even knows my name. Far from being a backbone of his advisors, I hardly constitute a bone in his pinkie. Hallââ¬â¢s article was originally published on another website, one with myriad links to anti-semitic webpages as well as a host of UFO abduction ones. Methinks a change of name is called for here, like www.idiotconservative.com.
Michael Fumento www.fumento.com Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute Medical/Science Columnist, Scripps-Howard Syndicate Join the Fumento Discussion at: [url=http://lists.cryptohill.net/mailman/subscribe/fumento-discuss]http://lists.cryptohill.net/mailman/subscr...fumento-discuss[/url]
2003-08-29 13:59 | User Profile
On the one hand, some of Fumento's stuff has been entertaining and incisive, such as his work on AIDS and Erin Brockovich.
On the other hand, Fumento comes across as somewhat lacking in grace and humility in his email quoted above, and in many other communications with critics and readers. His relentless self promotion reveals a very unappealing online personality.
All that said, it is hard to understand how Fumento's influence could be equated with that of Perle or Ledeen. Neoconservatives all, for sure. But I haven't seen Fumento being linked with the PNAC or Leo Strauss, either.
What was the point of mentioning such a layman alongside the big Rebbes?
2003-08-29 20:23 | User Profile
weisbrot,
No doubt there are better examples, Bill Bennett being one. Just tired of lawyers who are fronts for NGO's and have a record of defending causes that are counter to real free enterprise, while claiming to be conservative.
[url=http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/2000Q3/usual.html]PR Watch.org[/url]
"This issue describes Michael Fumento's role in circulating misleading tobacco propaganda. His résumé reads like a directory of conservative think tanks: the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Consumer Alert, and Reason magazine--all recipients of tobacco funding. He is currently a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank that spent the 1960s and 1970s envisioning nuclear war scenarios and defending the war in Vietnam, and now devotes itself to attacking environmentalists and defending industry."
Your point is correct, as to his influence, when compared to the others. As you are probably aware, my anti-war and American First views got him a mention after reading the above. (I'm no Green)
Added for that reason.
Good critique!
SARTRE :ph34r:
2003-09-01 10:30 | User Profile
Looks like there will be a future article out of this one! Note, that I have not addresses Mr Fumento directly by private email, as yet. Let his own words establish his credentials. Below are his latest remarks.
Sartre :hit:
"I get it; I'm a counterfeit conservative because I've worked at a number of conservative think thanks. Oh, and I'm responsible for positions Hudson took in the 1960s. I guess that always makes me responsible for Jim Crow, because I was five in 1965 and I was and am white. Interesting you didn't mention a single non-conservative position I ever took. You only got as far as saying I "defended" tobacco, which is a falsehood. I have criticized people who have played politics with so-called "passive smoking." Other than that, my only mentions on tobacco have been that's it's a terrible killer. None of which has anything to do with conservativism anyway. All of which is to say the only reason you attacked me is that I have been successful while you publish alongside people who write about UFO abductions and fabricated "Protocals of the Elders of Zion." In other words, you're a failure in life and you try to make up for it by going after successful people. Tough luck."
Michael Fumento www.fumento.com Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute Medical/Science Columnist, Scripps-Howard Syndicate Join the Fumento Discussion at: [url=http://lists.cryptohill.net/mailman/subscribe/fumento-discuss]http://lists.cryptohill.net/mailman/subscr...fumento-discuss[/url]
:sm: