Generally speaking, it’s a very bad idea to hitch your wagon to the Obama Bros. Republican strategist — and outspoken Trump critic — Tim Miller learned that lesson the hard way.
Last week, Crooked Media — the outlet behind the Bros’ “Pod Save America” show — announced that Miller’s contributions to Crooked would be put on hold while they “[got] to the bottom of his company’s involvement in oppo research on Facebook critics:
— Crooked Media (@crookedmedia) November 15, 2018
Yesterday, they announced the results of their findings: Miller had to be terminated.
— Crooked Media (@crookedmedia) November 21, 2018
Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor are all about speaking truth to power. Unless the truth is too inconvenient for them. In that case, you’re on your own.
This is some 7000-series horsekaka https://t.co/O3YgvzOYTD
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) November 21, 2018
It is. But it’s not remotely surprising.
I haven't followed this whole thing but Republicans who are getting into bed with Democrats over a supposed shared dislike of Trump better be prepared to be dumped at the first sign of trouble or when Trump is gone. https://t.co/SjPqcWGGmD
— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) November 21, 2018
This was the most predictable outcome in history. The Obama bros are some of the most intolerant, dishonest, and ignorant people in politics. They will never accept or listen to people who disagree with them, except to use them as a tool to attack others they disagree with. https://t.co/DAyD46Zpgh
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) November 21, 2018
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Exactly. Check out what Ashley Feinberg wrote last week in HuffPost after Crooked Media initial announcement:
Accepting Miller as a friendly face in liberal circles required a certain transient amnesia about what the Republican Party is and how Miller has served it. The effort of not knowing became a lot harder on Wednesday, when The New York Times published a blockbuster report that, among other unseemly details, revealed that Facebook had hired an opposition research firm to push back against anti-Facebook groups. The campaign exploited the anti-Semitism on the right, encouraging reporters “to explore the financial connections between [George] Soros’s family or philanthropies and groups that were members of Freedom from Facebook.”
…
But what about his involvement in their work? Miller’s presence on the Crooked team was a modern media spin on a familiar phenomenon: prominent liberals inviting the right-wing weasels into the living room, allegedly in the interest of getting a different perspective, the totally predictable result of which is an orgy of special pleading and whitewashing. These days, there are few better publicists for the forces of illiberalism than the establishment liberals who wish to appear broad-minded.
To be fair, the bros of Crooked Media aren’t wholly part of this same establishment liberal rot. They are far more humane and grounded than your average left-of-center D.C. politico. (I should mention here that I have appeared on Lovett’s podcast). They don’t really whine about civility. They don’t make meaningless calls for bipartisanship (in government, at least). And for the most part, they rarely punch left. But they do have a weakness common to liberal creatures of the D.C. professional political class: their token Never Trumper.
In the Left’s mind, the only good and acceptable Republican is a flaming liberal. Nothing less will be tolerated.
it's almost like republicans are all awful whether they're "Never Trump" or not… ???
— Rob Rousseau (@robrousseau) November 21, 2018
I've said it over and over, never trust a Republican. NEVER
— ?Santa Cruz Resists? (@SantaCruzMag) November 21, 2018
The moral of the story is never trust a republican. I’m amazed that people who should have learned that lesson long ago still don’t seem to get it.
— RJ sez investigate Trump (@rjdomos) November 21, 2018
Why does any Republican, #NeverTrump or otherwise, out there think they’re ultimately immune from the Left’s wrath?
The largest audiences and biggest financial reward is for those who choose a tribe and play to them. Their audience doesn't want them to engage principled conservatives, they want them to engage those who toe the anti-right line while pretending to be principled.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) November 21, 2018
Any deviation from that line is unacceptable. You see it with a lot of the anti-Trump conservatives that are promoted on mainstream networks. They know their role now, which is only to attack the right. That's why they are noticeably silent when the left does something wrong.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) November 21, 2018
And it pisses off a lot of us who are actually principled that they claim to represent and speak for us while adopting left-wing talking points and positions to maintain and build their left-wing audiences. As if the motivations aren't completely transparent.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) November 21, 2018
And that isn't me referring to Tim btw, who I think genuinely tried to engage with people he doesn't agree with. But those people will never be allies to principled conservatives, any more than extreme cultists on the other side would be.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) November 21, 2018
Lefties are going to win so many converts by throwing NeverTrumpers under the bus at the very first sign of trouble.
The Pod guys praised Tim's courage. If only they had an ounce of it between them.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) November 21, 2018
The MAGA right and the mainstream left have the same objective: cleanse politics of any conservatism with a backbone. It’s good for CNN, great for NYT subscriptions and no one ever has to make an argument or endure a world in which Kevin Williamson has opinions on stuff.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) November 21, 2018
Matt Yglesias can advocate angry mobs attacking women at their home but rest assured, he’ll continue editing a new left flagship. Tim defended Facebook so he’s off the podcast. And tomorrow we’ll have another conversation about the lack of conservative standards.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) November 21, 2018
Miller’s learned a hard lesson here. Other Republicans who think the Left will protect them would be wise to learn from his mistake.
Not OK: Working with Facebook.
OK: Giving Iran nuclear weapons. https://t.co/oezW5uLmYr
— Nathan Wurtzel (@NathanWurtzel) November 21, 2018
Duly noted.
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