Two-Faced on Torture

This week, Evan Thomas wrote in Newsweek, “It is a liberal shibboleth that torture doesn’t work–that suspects will say anything, including lies, to stop the pain. But the reality is perhaps less clear.”

Funny, citing counterterrorism officials back in 2006, Thomas wrote something quite different for Newsweek:

Their conclusion is unanimous: not only have coercive methods failed to generate significant and actionable intelligence, they have also caused the squandering of resources on a massive scale through false leads, chimerical plots, and unnecessary safety alerts

Think Progress has more.

Call me jaded, but I am not surprised in the slightest. A key journalistic mantra from time immemorial has been “let the facts fit the story.”

Rock Bottom?

Doesn’t the Tennessee Speaker of the House imbroglio speak volumes about the state of the Republican party right now?

And now, the Republican Party’s self-annointed knee breaker, none other than Erick Erickson of Redstate, has outdone himself by concocting perhaps the most moronic method to punish heterodix pols ever. Yes, it involves silly putty (his letter to the “RedState Army of Activists” after the jump): 

Reverse Elitism Alert

Instapundit has devoted one of his longest posts in weeks (3 lines of original commentary) to indicting the evil mainstream media for alleged tone-deafness.

The Guilty Offender: CBS

The Crime: attempting to pawn off a mouthwateringly scrumptious, homemade and nutritious 3-course feast that can feed your entire family for $35 as perfect for a “shoestring” budget.

He writes:

AT CBS, A $35 HOME-COOKED MEAL is “on a shoestring.” Funny, the dinner I made tonight was a lot cheaper than that. Most of mine are. Guess I’ve been cooking on a “recession-busting budget” all along! I notice that many commenters are also expressing incredulity at the mindset here. Best line: “‘Chef on a Shoestring’? What kind of shoes? Christian Louboutins?” Heh.

Funny, Glenn, I strongly suspect you have never tried making a 3-course meal for your whole family entirely from scratch buying every ingredient fresh (in line with the chef’s constraints on the CBS segment). $35 really aint bad. If you don’t believe me, go ask your fellow anti-elitist crusader Mike Huckabee. He’s into healthy eating these days. A microwavable Stouffer’s lasagna doesn’t count. Heh.

So how much did lunch used to cost at The University of Tennessee’s faculty club back in the good old days huh? You know, before the University decided to cut costs by doing away with such frivolous excesses.

Bottom of the Barrel

The Buffalo Beast has compiled a list of the 50 most loathsome figures of 2008. The Daily Show influenced, edgy satire schtick is overwrought, but still worth a read.

She-Who-Must-not-be-Named is #1. No surprises there.

Quiz

Match the crass, divisive comment to the pundit (answer after the jump):

(Question)

Who recently said that Nancy Pelosi is a “Bolshevik bitch with a mallet”?

a) Michelle Malkin

b) Jim Quinn

c) Michael Savage

d) Michael Goldfarb

Re: Hann Solo

I probably shouldn’t admit this, but is it bad that I was secretly hoping Lanny Davis would replace Colmes? Perhaps not as tactically brilliant as recent television history’s shrewdest sidekick replacement of Kathie Lee with Kelly Ripa, it is every bit as fitting.

The show’s new name: Hannity & Lannity. Geraldine Ferraro could fill in when he leads cheerleading camp at the State Department this spring.