Comments on: William Safire, civil libertarian

By: CAvard

CAvard — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:38:09 +0000

Charlie, mind clarifying?

By: Tony Schinella

Tony Schinella — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:27:23 +0000

I liked Safire’s writing but hated his television appearances on “Meet the Press” … I could never quite place what bothered me so but his points always rubbed me the wrong way. His “You Are a Suspect” column, which the last quote is from, was a real doozy.

Interestingly, while we are thinking about Safire and Oklahoma City, the videos of the bombing site were finally released after a FOIA … but the all important footage just before the detonation is missing: http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=7406&eeid=6840138&_sitecat=1522&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=-2&ck=&ch=ne&rg=blsadstrgt&_lid=332&_lnm=tg+ne+topnews&ck

A key quote from the story, which probably has Safire rolling right now: “Trentadue said he is seeking more tapes along with a variety of bombing-related documents from the FBI and the CIA. An FOIA request by Trentadue for 26 CIA documents was rejected in June. A letter from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which reviewed the documents, said their release ‘could cause grave damage to our national security.’”

By: charles pierce

charles pierce — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:18:00 +0000

And Mohammed Atta has still never been to Prague.

By: CAvard

CAvard — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:06:23 +0000

Saffire’s language columns were amazing. I’ll give him credit for that. Other than that, his politics drove me crazy, especially this quote from November 20, 1984.

““I count myself among the minority who hail Arik Sharon for performing a great service in dispersing the PLO.”

By: Dunwich

Dunwich — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:01:26 +0000

Disliked Sinatra so much he called his being awarded the Medal of Freedom, the biggest mistake of Reagan’s administration.

By: charles pierce

charles pierce — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:56:04 +0000

I have to give the old bastard his due there — that’s an unforgettable phrase.

By: Dan Kennedy

Dan Kennedy — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:39:34 +0000

Hey, Charlie — don’t be a nattering nabob of negativism!

By: charles pierce

charles pierce — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:30:35 +0000

Has Hillary Clinton been indicted yet?
Good old Bill told me she would be.
Irving Kristol has a seatmate on the bus to Hell.

By: Tweets that mention Media Nation » William Safire, civil libertarian -- Topsy.com

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:26:33 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dan Kennedy and erxyzzy. erxyzzy said: RT @dankennedy_nu The late William Safire on civil liberties: a brief compilation. http://bit.ly/3Ug1T4 [...]