Response from Friedman

I just received an e-mail from Michael Friedman, all the way from Shanghai. Seems China doesn't like Blogspot so he couldn't comment here. Anyway...

"I do believe that Kos wants us to lose in Iraq. Read his articles on the war and try to find one place where he says "I want us to succeed in Iraq and build a happy, stable, and friendly outpost of democracy in the Middle East." He never does. He certainly doesn't come out and say he wants us to lose but do you get the impression he wants us to win? From what post?

Also, you misinterpret my comment about taxes. I'm actually a little ambivalent about this whole anti-Kos jihad. I find his comments reprehensible. On the other hand, I'm not thrilled with the hit I'm doing against his income, assuming he really is selling blog ads at full price. However I also think that if politicians chose to support a site that makes comments like Kos's then they should be held accountable. But frankly I really would rather be sticking it to the IRS than to Kos.

Thanks
Mike"

First, and most important, I hate it when I've decided to dislike someone and then they go and be all, you know, reasonable and stuff.

But anyway...

"I do believe that Kos wants us to lose in Iraq"

I don't. Just because he's never said "I want us to succeed in Iraq and build a happy, stable, and friendly outpost of democracy in the Middle East" doesn't mean he wants the US to fail. Hell, I've never said anything like that here but I want us to win. Before claiming that an American is anti-American you'd better have something fairly solid to base it on - something along the lines of 'Jesus Christ, I hope we lose in Iraq'. The burden of proof lies with you, and an expectation that we should be continuously voicing our support for war seems like something George Orwell would be writing about.

"On the other hand, I'm not thrilled with the hit I'm doing against his income."

So don't do it. If the politicians who advertise on the Dailykos decide to pull their ads that's up to them. The only people involved in advertising are the advertisers and Kos. Interfering doesn't paint you in a very good light.

Anyway, thanks for the civil e-mail. After calling you an idiot I probably didn't deserve it.

*Update*

He's still insisting Kos wants us to fail, though.