In praise of -- gasp! -- Joe Klein (and community organizers)

By Michael J.W. Stickings

I used to like Joe Klein. Sort of. Then I started disliking him. Then disliking him a lot. And then I went into near-loathing mode, not least because of his GOP-friendly "centrism."

But... you know what? Sometimes he's right on. Like today.

Read his latest Swampland post in full. Here's how it starts:

Slowly, slowly, I am recovering from the extremely effective bilge festival staged by the Republicans last night. And while there is much to discuss, there was one item, in particular, that has to be considered infuriating: the attack on Barack Obama's service as a community organizer by the odious Rudy Giuliani -- he's come to look like a villain in a Frank Capra movie, hasn't he? -- and Sarah Palin.

That was one of the more reprehensible parts of Palin's speech, her attack on community organizers as part of her larger smear campaign against Obama. (As Creature mentioned this morning.)

For more, I also recommend Ezra Klein's post on community organizers at The American Prospect: "[L]et's call a spade a spade: When Giuliani sneered about community organizers on the 'South side' of Chicago, it's pretty clear what he was saying: Barack Obama spent his time rabble-rousing among black people... Obama organized poor black people. Helped channel their anger and grievances and anxieties. That's change you can fear."

And exploit.

And, if you're Sarah Palin, something you can be disgustingly sarcastic about to the wild applause of your nasty, brutish, and ignorant party.