The Republican Muse

by digby

Glenn Greenwald wrote a great post today the other day discussing the authoritarian mind. He highlights a typically vapid conversation between Tucker Carlson and Jonah Goldberg:

CARLSON: But I’m bothered by Cheney’s — but does — Cheney’s secrecy, his penchant for secrecy. I mean, this is a cliche, a stereotype, but it’s rooted, apparently, in truth. The guy really is secretive to a degree we haven’t seen in a while. That is — I mean, we do have a right to know what our government is doing, don’t we?

GOLDBERG: Yes, sure, although I think you would concede, even though you and I disagree about some foreign policy stuff, you and I would agree that there are some things that should be kept secret. We might disagree about what they are.

CARLSON: Right.

GOLDBERG: And you know, but I do think that what Cheney has learned after a lifetime in Washington as a power player, is that the person who holds the secrets has power. And he is using that for what I would say, or probably what he believes to be certainly good ends. A lot of people disagree on that, but he’s trying to do best as he can and he sees holding onto power as a tool to do that.

Glenn points out that Goldberg’s “trust big daddy” act has been mirrored recently by various TV airheads, but he missed the person who perfectly represents the thinking of the modern rightwing bimbo and someone Jonah can clearly look to as his intellectual mentor. Remember this?

TUCKER CARLSON: You’re going to be on the National Mall [in Washington, D.C.] soon performing for Pepsi and the NFL and also to support our troops. A lot of entertainers have come out against the war in Iraq. Have you?

BRITNEY SPEARS: Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision he makes and should just support that, you know, and be faithful in what happens.

CARLSON: Do you trust this president?

SPEARS: Yes, I do.

CARLSON: Excellent. Do you think he’s going to win again?

If Hollywood Fred doesn’t work out I think we may have a contender. She’s from Louisiana, too.

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