Castro, 9/11 Truth, Smears and Slurs, Accomplishments

Thursday links about politics and other junk.

* Utne takes a look inside the 9/11 Truth Movement.

* Via Ezra Klein, Rootless Cosmopolitan looks at the complicated and contradictory legacy of Fidel Castro.

What fascinates me, however, is the guilty pleasure with which so many millions of people around the world revere Fidel Castro — revere him, but wouldn’t dream of emulating his approach to economics or governance. People, in other words, who would not be comfortable actually living in Castro’s Cuba, much as they like the idea of him sticking it the arrogant yanqui, his physical and political survival a sure sign that Washington’s awesome power has limits — and can therefore be challenged.

* Glenn Greenwald looks at a week of incredibly petty mass-media attacks on Barack Obama (all suddenly materializing in the moment that he is the presumptive nominee, as if by some kind of magic!):

The point isn't that this reflects poorly on Obama's electability -- it doesn't, at all (it might do the opposite). The point is that that one should expect what's coming, and realize -- most importantly -- that our establishment press takes its cues in all sorts of ways from exactly the dark crevices from which this filth spews and they will lead the way in helping to spread it. The establishment press is dependent upon the GOP establishment, which for years has provided them with their sources and access, and helping to spread this poison is what they do.

All four of these so-called scandals are completely ridiculous, but it's Bill O'Reilly's "lynching party" comment that really blows me away—how could a remark like that be anything but deliberate?

And for the record, while I can't really speak on the merits of last night's John McCain non-story without knowing what was "lawyered out," in its current form it looks as if it should probably have been spiked altogether, and I'm sorry to see so many liberal bloggers linking to it with such (understandable) glee. The material in the story that's either actually relevant or actually damning—Keating, corporate jets, favors for lobbyists, and so forth—is completely drowned out by the silly whiff of sex scandal.

And of course, we should note that it's not exactly against McCain's interests to be perceived as being smeared by the New York Times... This is a lot better press for him than their endorsement was.

* Other Obama links: Andrew Sullivan's list of Obama's legislative accomplishments in a post entitled "Dear Chris Matthews: Please Do Your Job"—and please don't think I take any pleasure in linking approvingly to something written by Sullivan—and news that Obama has won Democrats Abroad by a 2-to-1 margin, bringing the streak to 11-0.