Quote Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger View Post
Ah, you got me! I do read a number of blogs religiously. Here they are, in all their evil-opinion-warping splendor.
Oh, but those are part of the conspiracy, don't you know?

Seriously, the word 'agenda' is blog-speak, even if it's used outside the blogosphere as well. It suggests that your opponents have hidden plans, that they're politicking, maneuvering, manipulating. It precludes dialogue. Couple this notion with the moral absolutes and irrationality of religion and you have quite a combustive mix. My impression from afar is that this style doesn't go over well with the American public and they will probably be marginalised. But if and when they are consigned to the margin they may become even more dangerous. Here the parallel with the post-war radical left is instructive as well.

As for the NYT, of course you read a lot of their stuff because it's newsworthy, well-written and well-researched. They more or less publish a complete book everyday. The long and short of the Blair episode is that something like this is bound to happen in a big company, it doesn't outweigh the 118 Pulitzers they racked up and it also doesn't mean that we should be uncritical and overly deferential to the lady.

AII