MartiniPundit

As Andrew Sullivan Evaporates

Readers of this blog from the beginning (way back in May) will recall that Andrew Sullivan was once at the top of my blogroll. In truth, at that time I was wondering if he deserved it, but I was going as much on past performance as anything else, and figured he was in a slump.

The slump proved to be permament. When he comes back - if he comes back - I doubt he’ll have the audience he once did.

It was not just that his blog degenerated into all gay marriage all the time - it was and is an important issue and if as a gay man Sullivan wanted to blog on it that was his business. It was when the President came out in support of the FMA and Sullivan not only opposed the President on that issue but suddenly every other issue as well. The intellectual dishonesty of that was breathtaking and exploded his credibility with me entirely. He moved to the bottom of the blogroll and eventually off it entirely.

So I haven’t been reading him much - indeed a headline that grabs my attention loses it the instant I see his name on the byline - but have been amused by the continued attention the blogosphere pays to this charlatan. I always felt his pledge drives were a bit sleazy and never contributed myself, but to take a month off after dunning one’s readers for 120 grand is despicable. This after getting them to cough up 80 grand a few months before. Then to take an indefinite hiatus a couple months after that to run off to Europe is tantamount to fraud. Those who contributed must have a pretty sour taste in their mouths right now.

Michelle Malkin - who apparently has been the target of some of Sullivan’s puerile humor - has a roundup of reactions from the blogosphere. I’ll admit, I’m also wasting some pixels on the guy, but it still amazes me how much credence - nay respect - he’s still given from the old guard like Glenn Reynolds. Someone said Sullivan was blogging before blogging was cool and that’s true. That and 200 grand will get you a nice trip to Europe.

1. If Sullivan truly did rake in as much cash as he claims, then I would submit that says as much about his audience than it does about him.  All the same, I believe the term “charlatan” is indeed appropriate in this context.  Sullivan’s swerve on the war was unforgivable IMO, but his attempt to swerve back on the bandwagon after the election results sealed it with me.  Sullivan earned a great deal of respect, and then squandered it.  Good luck earning it back, pal.  I will miss his contributions to the blogosphere not one whit.

   Posted by The Director  on  02/04  at  05:34 PM

2. 100% in agreement

   Posted by chris  on  02/04  at  09:21 PM

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