Glenn Greenwald, on the idea that war criticism will “embolden the enemy”:

Mature societies do not make decisions by wondering what the Bad People want and then automatically doing the opposite. That is the mindset of a child.

This is what I’ve been thinking for some time but hadn’t thought to put into such simple, direct words. Bravo.

I’ve heard Dick Cheney or others say things like, “Osama bin Laden is probably smiling at the idea of all these war protesters.”

So what if he is? Who the hell cares what he thinks? Why are you imprisoned by the thoughts and feelings of a crazy human being? Why give him that legitimacy?

The mindset of a child.

I’m struck by the following.

Election Day 2008 is in about 18 months. In other words, Election Day 2008 is two pregnancies from now.

If a woman gets pregnant tomorrow, she’ll give birth around Super Duper Tuesday, February 5, 2008, when more states than ever before will hold their primaries and, very likely, effectively determine the nominees.

If a woman gets pregnant on Super Duper Tuesday, she’ll give birth around Election Day, November 4, 2008.

We have to wait through two whole pregnancies, beginning to end, to find out who the next president is.

It’s gonna be a looooooooong season.

Could someone please explain what the deal is with “Watergate Sue,” currently being serialized in the New York Times Magazine? It has no plot. What point is it trying to make?