Act I. Ben Smith at Politico interviews Joe Klein about scary Charles Krauthammer, and Klein, a novelist, offers an interesting analysis:
"There's something tragic about him, too," Klein said, referring to
Krauthammer's confinement to a wheelchair, the result of a diving
accident during his first year of medical school. "His work would have
a lot more nuance if he were able to see the situations he's writing
about."
"My writing speaks for itself," Krauthammer responded in a curt e-mail.
Act II. Podhoretz John hammers Klein. III. Klein apologizes:
while Krauthammer's skills are impressive, his commentary has been
dangerously bellicose, arrogant and wrong. Given his influence with
the Bush Administration, his unflinching support for American
unilateralism–his invention of the notion of a unipolar world–did
extensive damage to our nation's security and reputation overseas, and
caused the unnecessary loss of life.
Still, it seems clear that my remark could be construed by some as
insensitive—and if I have caused any discomfort to any disabled person,
I apologize sincerely. In the end, Krauthammer's deficit is not a
matter of body, but of judgment.
IV. Greek chorus: Aren't political journalists allowed to do character analysis? I'm curious about Krauthammer's injury and the effect it's had on his personality. Whenever I talk to anyone about Krauthammer, his disability comes up within a minute. I wish Smith had asked Krauthammer about this, and I wish Krauthammer would write about it himself. Did his politics change? Is he married? (Oh; he is; sorry.) I wonder what truth there is in Klein's view.
