George F. Will the other day (behind the registration wall):

Three years ago, the administration had a theory that democratic institutions could both spring from and create a hospitable culture. That theory has been a casualty of the Iraq war.

For John Hawkrocket, it’s a casualty of the War in Afghanistan, based on the Abdul Rahman story:

This is, I think, a watershed moment. The American people will bear a great deal of sacrifice, but only on behalf of principle. If, after our liberation of Afghanistan, a man may still be executed for being a Christian–or a Jew, although to my knowledge that case hasn’t arisen–there is no logical basis on which our government can continue to request the ultimate sacrifice from its most devoted supporters.

Sounds promising, right? Not so fast. Hinderaker doesn’t reference Will’s epiphany. Those of us skilled at reading winger subtexts (i.e. almost anyone who’s read wingers more than twice) can recognize that Johnny’s hand-washing is less about rejecting “democracy at the barrel of a gun” and more about “leaving the barbarians to themselves.”

W, 2004:

There’s a lot of people in the world who don’t believe that people whose skin color may not be the same as ours can be free and self-govern. I reject that. I reject that strongly. I believe that people who practice the Muslim faith can self-govern. I believe that people whose skins aren’t necessarily — are a different color than white can self-govern.

Hinderaker is looking more and more like one of those people.

Whence the impression that all “24″ fans are righties, and all righties are “24″ fans?

Oh, I forgot. When Jack Bauer tortures just the right guy at just the right moment to save Los Angeles with seconds to spare, the righties think it’s reeeeeeeal.

Malkin then:

As I am seated at the table with Matthews, who I am meeting for the first time, he cracks a joke–and not in a well-meaning way–about how I look. (There are quite a few people who are hung up on this.) “Are you sure you are old enough to be on the show? What are you? 28?” I grit my teeth. He badgers me again with the same question. I politely answer his question and supply my age.

Emphasized text is linked and referring to the pictures of Michelle on Fox News looking as unhinged as it is possible to be. I’m sure you’ve seen them.

Malkin now (Shorter):

I’m a giant hypocrite.