Jonah Goldberg defends himself: But I point out Katz’s comments for another reason. He glibly asserts that my motives on this [gay marriage] and, presumably, other issues is to appear “cool” in the eyes of others, particularly Andrew Sullivan. I hear this every now and then, particularly from self-proclaimed conservative purists and I think this is nonsense and I generally take offense to it…. I’m not above attacking peoples’ motives — if there is evidence about what their motives are, otherwise, it smacks of Stalinist politics. But this criticism of me is generally asserted without fact or foundation. It assumes I argue in bad faith and with a really silly motive to boot. I mean if I were trying to seem “cool” by altering my views I’d certainly come out against the drug war, which is certainly the “cool” position on campuses and elsewhere. And if I really wanted to ingratiate myself with Andrew I would not only be in favor of gay marriage but — even better — I’d stop being chatty with the Derb and start denouncing him as a walking, talking crime against humanity.
I tend to buy Jonah’s argument. Seriously, he makes no attempt to ingratiate himself with me, and I am far, far cooler than Andrew Sullivan could ever hope to be. Seriously, you could keep a side of beef in me for at least a month, I am cool like that. Sure, Andrew Sullivan has that whole, I’m not gay, I’m English thing – on second thought, strike that – but I don’t think there’s too much doubt that I am the BMF of the op/ed community. I could TAKE Eric Alterman and I am looking forward to the day that I will MAKE Al Franken my B I T oh say can you see H.
It’s rather like being the toughest kid in the chess club, sure, but there you go.
UPDATE: Space Bunny would like to point out that I am only cool by association with her. I’d like to argue that, but she makes a pretty compelling case.