The fine folks at the Bulwark recently posted a review of Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff’s new book about very nearly losing our democracy to Donald Trump and the GOP, and — surprise! — they’re fans:
Adam Schiff’s Insider Account of the Fight to Save Our Democracy https://t.co/m6ojBLIA9s
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) November 17, 2021
In his review, Niskanen Center senior fellow Gabriel Schoenfeld also took aim at Eli Lake and Jonah Goldberg:
The abuse hurled at Schiff by Eli Lake and Jonah Goldberg—in unseemly synchrony with Donald Trump—rests in part on the proposition that there was no “collusion” between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia despite Schiff’s repeated claims to the contrary. This is rubbish.
…
It must also be acknowledged that Schiff has made mistakes in the course of his investigations. As Eli Lake pointed out in a February 2020 article in Commentary, Schiff repeated elements of the now-discredited “Steele dossier” in a congressional hearing, leveling charges against the Trump aide Carter Page that did not pan out and for which Schiff never apologized. Schiff and his staff defended the continued issuance of FISA warrants against Page, warrants known now to be defective for relying on the Steele dossier, when there was reason for skepticism.
The damage to Page should not be understated. But these are minor transgressions when measured against the entirety of Schiff’s record. It is both perverse and a calumny—a case of anti-anti-Trump derangement syndrome perhaps?—to chime in with the scurrilous Donald Trump and call Schiff a “liar,” as does the title of Eli Lake’s most recent Commentary piece, or “dishonorable and dishonest,” as does Jonah Goldberg. Indeed, Adam Schiff is one of the few genuine heroes of the Trump era. Throughout the past five years, in the face of unremitting abuse and even death threats, he has worked with cool and measured eloquence to expose Trump’s demagoguery and criminal conduct, seeking to protect the nation from further depredations by the most dangerous and depraved president in our history.
That’s actually how Schoenfeld’s piece concludes, smacking Lake and Goldberg around for daring to suggest that Adam Schiff is not a paragon of truth and honesty.
Agree or disagree with Goldberg when it comes to Donald Trump, but Goldberg is no Trump apologist. And when he calls out Adam Schiff, he calls out Adam Schiff of his own accord, not because he’s doing ReThUgTrUmPLiCaNs’ bidding.
Needless to say, Goldberg is pissed:
This is so cheap. The piece he quotes me criticizing Schiff also criticizes Trump for his Russia ties. If your theory of politics says I have to love Trump's enemies and hate his allies, regardless of facts or context, you might have let Trump break you. https://t.co/jxRwA8tVd3 pic.twitter.com/RQvsaAmWJs
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) November 17, 2021
And if your theory leads you to write that I am in synchrony — unseemly or otherwise — with Trump you might want to revisit your priors.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) November 17, 2021
The Bulwark’s entire mentality is that they’re the administrators of the Conserving Conservatism Purity Test, and anyone who isn’t all the way up the Democratic Party’s butt is an unprincipled, Trump-loving, traitor to True Conservatism™.
The Bulwark has published a review of Adam Schiff's book and, well, I haven't read such an heroic act of water carrying since Gunga Din.
If you think @EliLake and @JonahDispatch are unfair to Schiff… yikes. pic.twitter.com/A9y1ZyXQE3
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) November 17, 2021
What an absolute load of crap! https://t.co/dtulAAa7zQ
— Brian (@dustopian) November 17, 2021
What an absolute load of crap! https://t.co/dtulAAa7zQ
— Brian (@dustopian) November 17, 2021
Jonah Goldberg called Adam Schiff “dishonorable and dishonest hack” with a “gift for flinging hyperpartisan innuendo while seeming to be a studious and serious legislator” because Adam Schiff is that.
Viewing Adam Schiff as the good guy and worthy of defense because Trump attacked him is really a perfect example of someone completely broken by Trump to the point where their entire belief system revolves around one politician. https://t.co/pzYQLrjs6Q
— AG (@AGHamilton29) November 17, 2021
Just flat-out dishonest. https://t.co/yabdl3YVUy
— Stephen Hayes (@stephenfhayes) November 17, 2021
Maybe the Bulwark takes such offense to the “dishonorable and dishonest hack” insult because so many conservatives have directed similar insults at them.
Un-f***ing real. I thought I had seen it all.
— Hube (@ColossusRhodey) November 17, 2021
Eli Lake and Jonah Goldberg are now "in unseemly synchrony with Donald Trump". Just incredible. https://t.co/s8NZkAiPeo
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) November 17, 2021
Eli is one of the best reporters on the planet, so I can understand why they've made him a target. But considering Jonah's experience during the past four years, this kind of intentional personal attack is an insane line to go galloping across.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) November 17, 2021
Shorter Bulwark: “Yee-HAW!”
You never go full Bulwark.
— NR (@royhutchins) November 17, 2021
Not if you have any self-respect, anyway.
Those who care more about pushing a particular narrative over discovering facts and finding truth are no better than Trump. https://t.co/8dGkfPK1Q0
— Joe (@joec522) November 17, 2021
Join the conversation as a VIP Member