A Noted Leftist Criticizes Some Liberal Bloggers

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Power and Influence

The power and influence of the left-wing blogosphere is alarming even liberal journalists. TIME Magazine columnist Joe Klein says bloggers are bullying liberal politicians to more extreme positions because of their power to set the debate and raise money.

Klein says he has been the recipient of what he calls "free-range lunacy" — even though he has written that President Bush will be remembered as one of the worst presidents in history.

Klein writes that he loves blogging — "But the smart stuff is being drowned out by a fierce, bullying, often witless tone of intolerance that has overtaken the left-wing sector of the blogosphere. Anyone who doesn't move in lockstep with the most extreme voices is savaged and ridiculed — especially people like me who often agree with the liberal position but sometimes disagree and are therefore considered traitorously unreliable."

The Good Old Days?

Fighting between Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah has some people in Gaza longing for the days of Israeli occupation or hoping for Israeli intervention. Recent clashes have left around 50 people dead and President Mahmoud Abbas says they are on the verge of civil war.
One Gaza housewife tells Reuters — "It's very ironic but I'm relieved the Israelis have started a bombing campaign. The gunmen killing each other on the streets were forced to go into hiding."

And Palestinian legislator Nasser Jum'a says ordinary Palestinians are so fed up with the armed groups — "They now wish the Israeli occupation would take over in Gaza or hope for the return of Jordanian rule in the West Bank."

Under Fire

President Bush's nomination for Surgeon General – Dr. James Holsinger — is coming under fire from gay rights groups.

Holsinger is a cardiologist who has served as Kentucky health secretary and chancellor of the University of Kentucky's medical center.

But some gay people are upset that he voted to expel a lesbian pastor from The United Methodist Church — and 16 years ago wrote that gay sex is unnatural and unhealthy. This is consistent with positions set forth in the church's governing document, called The Book of Discipline.

But Holsinger also fought attempts to remove a session on lesbian health from a 2002 women's health conference, and wrote in 1992 that gays are of "sacred worth" and should be welcomed into the church.

Warm and Fuzzy

And many people in Greenland are not worried about the prospects of global warming — in fact they are thrilled by them.

The Washington Post reports average winter temperatures on some parts of Greenland rose nearly 11 degrees Fahrenheit from 1991 to 2003.

Farmers say they can keep their animals outside longer, fishermen have extended seasons and bigger catches, and oil, mining and aluminum companies are all looking to invest because of the warmer temperatures.

Dog sledder Ono Fleischer says — "With the warmer weather, we don't have to fight the cold so much. Our health is better. Our equipment doesn't break down so much, and we don't use so much fuel. The time for industry is longer, and there are more places we can go by boat. I can't think of any negative consequences."

—FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.