Tucker, also FTW

The fine Mr. Kennelly points us to one of the most awfully sanctimonious responses to criticism I’ve ever read. Kmiec’s reply to Ross’s post is really something to behold; like Daniel, I also went back to read Ross’s original harrangue under the assumption that I had missed Ross calling Kmiec a child rapist or some such. Needless to say, the temperate Ross did no such thing.

What Daniel missed, however, was Tucker Carlson’s response to Kmiec’s whinging. Writes Tucker, in a post titled “Republicans Didn’t Used To Talk This Way”:

Hey, Doug. Toughen up. Seriously. I’ve read suicide notes that were less passive-aggressive than this. Let’s review what actually happened: You argued that Obama is not a pro-choice extremist. Ross disagreed. Rather than respond with a counterpoint, you got hysterical, dismissing Ross as a hater, even fretting about the future of his soul. …

I understand it must have hurt when Ross accused you of shilling for Obama. On the other hand, he’s right. You did shill for Obama. That’s not Ross’ fault. Don’t blame him.

But if you are going to blame him, do it directly, like a man, without all the encounter-group talk and Pope quotes. People often attack the religious right, sometimes with justification. But as you just reminded us, there is nothing in the world more annoying than the religious left.

“There is nothing in the world more annoying than the religious left.” That, my friends, is the knockout blow. I have a feeling that Douglas W. Kmiec seriously regrets accepting Slate’s offer to participate in this little roundtable.