Today’s paragraphs come to us from Thomas E. Ricks, former writer for the Washington Post who now writes for foreignpolicy.com.
Mr. Ricks is not especially taken with Benjamin Rhodes, President Obama’s Deputy National Security Advisor (and, not incidentally, brother of David Rhodes, President of CBS News).
How “not especially taken”? Read these paragraphs from his latest commentary, which objects to a generally positive profile of Rhodes in the New York Times Sunday Magazine, and see:
Rhodes comes off like a real asshole. This is not a matter of politics — I have voted for Obama twice. Nor do I mind Rhodes’s contempt for many political reporters: “Most of the outlets are reporting on world events from Washington. The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old, and their only reporting experience consists of being around political campaigns. That’s a sea change. They literally know nothing.”
But, as that quote indicates, he comes off like an overweening little schmuck. This quotation seems to capture his worldview: “He referred to the American foreign policy establishment as the Blob. According to Rhodes, the Blob includes Hillary Clinton, Robert Gates, and other Iraq-war promoters from both parties who now whine incessantly about the collapse of the American security order in Europe and the Middle East.” Blowing off Robert Gates takes nerve.
I expect cynicism in Washington. But it usually is combined with a lot of knowledge — as with, say, Henry Kissinger. To be cynical and ignorant and to spin those two things into a virtue? That’s industrial-strength hubris. Kind of like what got us into Iraq, in fact.
“Asshole”? “Overweening little schmuck”? Those are not what you’d call terms of endearment.
And Hicks – who, it should be pointed out, is an Obama supporter (and, based on the Iraq reference, no fan of Mr. Obama’s Republican predecessor) – ain’t the only one who feels this way…
…which leads to the question of why Ben Rhodes should be anywhere near the Obama inner circle – other than because his brother runs CBS News?
Beats the hell out of me. How about you?
Thomas E. Hicks wins Paragraphs Of The Day honors for his refreshing level of bluntness; a level that even Donald Trump – who, I assume, is also not one of Mr. Hicks’ favorites – would be proud of.
