Was Joel Stein caught in a LIE?

Hugh Hewitt, radioblogger.com, Dom Giordano | 1/25/06 | Captain Paintball

[Captainpaintball]

All rightie. By now, most of us are familiar with the controversial LA Times article titled "I don't Support our Troops" written by columnist Joel Stein. Many have heard the audio or read the transcript (www.radioblogger.com) of nationally syndicated radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt's interview with Stein. Others may have heard one of the presumably several additional interviews Stein gave to other local, non-syndicated talkers, such as Dom Giordano out of Philadelphia's "Big Talker" 1210AM WPHT.

I have listened to both Hewitt's interview--as well as Giordano's--and I have an interesting take on Stein's defense you may be interested in discussing...

In Hewitt's interview, Stein initially claimed he personally knew no active duty troops serving in the armed forces. The following are some of his responses: (www.radioblogger.com)

"That's an excellent question. I wouldn't say I have a very close friend. I would say only acquaintances. No family at all."

"But your point is well taken that I don't have many people that I even know who are in the military."

"Yeah, I know people, but like I said in the column, I have been pretty isolated. I don't have any close family..."

Then, later in the interview, Stein was asked if he knew anyone who has atended a military academy, and he replied: "Do I know anyone who...yes. Yeah, I have a cousin at West Point."

It seems at this point Hewitt becomes skeptical, and he presses Stein some more. When asked about the date of his cousin's enrollment, Stein answers:

"My cousin's like six years younger than me. He has the exact same name as me, so hopefully, he's doing okay today."

Hewitt asks Stein of his cousin's whereabouts, (Both are named Joel Stein) and Stein mentions that he is currently serving in the US, and has served abroad, "in Asia."

This seems to contradict his earlier statements in the interview.

One may determine his inconsistency in recollection as a result of nervousness in dealing with a skilled debater such as Hewitt. And with good reason. For lack of a better metaphor, Hewitt violated Stein in ways the 30-something may never comprehend without the aid of a professional counseling.

Perhaps his brain was scrambled from all the attention/publicity/notoriety/hatemail he received throughout the day. That is understandable. Imagine a significant percent of the population wanting either an interview, or your bloody, severed head on a stick.

But by 11:00 PM, Joel Stein seemed calmer, more confident, and at ease with what he had written earlier in the day. In fact, when Philly talk show host Dom Giordano asked Stein if he knew anyone in the military, he denied knowing anyone. Including the cousin who shares his name.

[USS Alaska]

"Liberalism is the philosophy of the stupid."

My sainted mother was a member of mensa and a lifelong demonRAT. Intellectually she was as conservative as I am, BUT, emotionally, she couldn't cut the fdr, jfk, cord that kept her bound to the RATS. In any reasoned discussion, she would agree with conservative principles, but would vote {and donate and work for} the RATs. I miss my mother, but know that she is still voting for the RATS, as I am sure she is part of the graveyard shift. I've twice been to the polling place where she used to vote and she is still on the rolls.

[Tokra]

My sainted mother was a member of mensa and a lifelong demonRAT

Ditto for my father - he is very intelligent, with a very high I.Q., but he is a Yellow Dog Democrat. I was raised as a YDD, but changed my tune when I saw what Reagan's tax cuts did for the economy.

My father and I disagree on almost everything politically.

He doesn't like my explanation for his liberal views:

I think its a subconcious thing: Kennedy = Good, Nixon = Bad. Kennedy = Democrat, Nixon = Republican. Therefore Democrat = Good and Republican = Bad.

I think he. and others like them are stuck in that mindset and refuse to see the truth.
When I pointed out to my parents that Nixon began the E.P.A., the federal Affirmative Action program and OSHA, my mother just shrugged and said, "It just goes to show you how even an evil man can do some good."
When I bring up Teddy Kennedy and Mary Jo, my mother's response is "So he made a little mistake".

And this from the woman who gave me life!!!

[Yardstick]

Frederick Hayek doesn't think liberals (actually he says socialists) are stupid, either. In fact, he considers socialism to be an error to which intelligent people are particularly prone. I know liberals and I argue with liberals and I know they're not stupid. The errors they make are intelligent errors, and it takes intelligent arguments to counter them.

[Checkers]

Joel Stein can be reached at: thejoelstein@yahoo.com < thejoelstein@yahoo.com>