He was always a war hawk, always a backer of Israel, always a backer of power
In that sense, it is absolutely true that he kept his convictions from start to finish
He also was a man who could pivot his message and his tactics 180 degrees, if that’s what it took to get the support he wanted for the things he wanted most
I think his most telling characteristic on that second point is that he wanted to always be relevant - to always have a place at the table
And he was willing to compromise *almost* anything and everything to get and hold that place
I won’t celebrate his passing
Nor, to be certain, do I mourn it
Wherever he is not, it is at least very likely beyond the politics of this world. We who remain here are still very much involved
I hope that, wherever he is now, he has the opportunity to look deeply into an honest mirror
I’m not seeing the pile-on. I’m seeing people like Robert Reich say that while he disagreed with him, may he rest in peace. That’s essentially what everyone I follow is saying.
So, to summarize, he was always a despicable man and it just got worse and then he suddenly died.
He was always a war hawk, always a backer of Israel, always a backer of power
In that sense, it is absolutely true that he kept his convictions from start to finish
He also was a man who could pivot his message and his tactics 180 degrees, if that’s what it took to get the support he wanted for the things he wanted most
I think his most telling characteristic on that second point is that he wanted to always be relevant - to always have a place at the table
And he was willing to compromise *almost* anything and everything to get and hold that place
I won’t celebrate his passing
Nor, to be certain, do I mourn it
Wherever he is not, it is at least very likely beyond the politics of this world. We who remain here are still very much involved
I hope that, wherever he is now, he has the opportunity to look deeply into an honest mirror
I’m not seeing the pile-on. I’m seeing people like Robert Reich say that while he disagreed with him, may he rest in peace. That’s essentially what everyone I follow is saying.