Joe Klein's Amusing Takedown of Lanny Davis (no, really) (w/poll)

Lanny Davis' loathing screed has already been documented here and elsewhere, so I won't go into the details. I'd rather discuss the mocking that it is getting elsewhere.

Joe Klein's material usually ranges from drivel to some attempt at "earnest" punditry. But occasionally, he moves into "dismissive snark," bordering on contempt. When he does, it's an entertaining read:

Woe is me. I am set upon by harpies, from the center, the right and the Weh-right. The saddest of these is Lanny Davis's act of Clintonphilia in the Wall Street Journal, which may set a land-speed record for disingenuousness.The subject again is the infamous Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Third paragraph:

Clearly Mr. Obama does not share the extremist views of Rev. Wright. He is a tolerant and honorable person. But

Gotta love those buts

that is not the issue. The questions remain: Why did he stay a member of the congregation? Why didn't he speak up earlier? And why did he reward Rev. Wright with a campaign position even after knowing of his comments?

As I said, disingenuous.

Ouch! I think a little catfight has broken out between Messrs Klein and Davis. Granted, Davis has no copyright on this type of faux self-struggle with Obama's former Pastor, but to read his completely disingenuous concern-trolling in the WSJ was so over the top that even Klein was running for the toilet.

So what is actually going on here? If Davis is sure that "Mr. Obama does not share the extremist views of Rev. Wright," then what's the big deal? Uh, Politics. Davis is trying to make sure that white people in Pennsylvania don't forget that Obama's former pastor has said some awful things about our country. This, sadly, has been standard operating procedure for Republican spinmeisters throughout that party's ascent and descent over the past 40 years.

The Southern Strategy2K8: Coming soon to a 527 near you! Of course, given the obviousness of this type of sludge, Klein does rightly wonder why Clinton and her supporters are going anywhere near it. His answer (and mine): Rank cynicism.

And in fact, the flagrant campaign proceeding against Obama right now, reeking of race and patriotism, is the latest, nauseating example of a 40-year trend. It is, as I said, very sad that the Clinton campaign would have anything to do with spreading this sort of innuendo...and entirely predictable that the Republican Party would. When I talked about "spreading the poison" that's what I meant: a purposeful distraction from what should be real issues in this campaign--two wars, serious economic problems, the need to shift to alternative energy sources for national security and environmental reasons.

Kudos Klein for an entertaining column.

Update: TPM sums it up quite nicely.

Now that Hillary's fired Mark Penn, can she now fire Lanny Davis? Please? Or ask that he be put under some sort of house arrest?