Reviewing @TheDispatch's output of bad-faith dreck seems to be what more than a few of you are interested in getting more of, so let's take a deep dive into this piece, shall we?
1a) Confession: I hadn't seen Trump's full Prayer Breakfast remarks before today. From French's hysterics -- "hate on his enemies," "debacle," "personally insulting," "at length" -- one might've expected worse. But then I read the speech, & was struck by 1 takeaway: "that's it?"
1b) Per standard @TheDispatch practice, @DavidAFrench doesn't quote any of it, but the entirety of Trump's "hate" from the speech fits in the below screenshot. Read it for yourself.
whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…
whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…
1c) There's nothing "hateful" about noting that political actors are dishonest and hurt the country, criticizing the abuse of faith as a cover for political motives, or calling out Pelosi wrapping her venom in false piety. The latter is even arguably relevant to a faith event.
1d) Surely @DavidAFrench is aware that Jesus had plenty of, shall we say, less-than-friendly things to say about "hypocrites" and "vipers." Perhaps @DavidAFrench skips over the passages about the Pharisees because they hit a little too close to home...
biblegateway.com/passage/?searc…
biblegateway.com/passage/?searc…
2) I agree with this sentiment. Which makes it all the worse, @DavidAFrench, that (a) you don't show in this piece where Trump's remarks violate any of those commands, & (b) you yourself freely violate the one about bearing false witness (example: your Charlottesville slander).
3) Pithy quote. Very tweetable. Sure to dazzle your fellow travelers. But it’d carry a lot more weight if you had done ANYTHING to back up the premise that anyone here is hiring someone to hate.
4a) Next, @DavidAFrench asks us to imagine a "a kind, sweet Christian woman" who "loves Trump because she’s sick and tired" of the Left's bigotry, barbarism, etc. "She doesn't necessarily like" Trump's sins, but doesn't dwell on them because the Left's sins are so much worse.
4b) Seems like @DavidAFrench actually mustered some of that Christian charity he's always crowing about in a sincere effort to understand the other side, right? Nope! Turns out she's a hater-by-proxy who's in denial about all the guilt she's apparently supposed to feel.
4c) That's the convenient thing about imaginary opponents -- @TheDispatch types can tweak their arguments, reasoning, actions, & inactions in whatever way is easiest to tear down. Whereas real people come with, like, actual quotes & stuff to contend with -- such a headache!
4d) Yes, Trump has fanboys who see only the good & ignore the bad -- but SO DOES EVERY POLITICIAN. This is not a new or distinctly Trumpian phenomenon, & reducing the debate to "us vs. #Cult45" serves only to demean opponents & avoid what the other side is actually saying.
4e) That’s a point I have repeatedly made. Oddly enough @TheDispatch writers, readers, & their fellow travelers at other publications NEVER address it. Ever.
5a) Putting aside how @DavidAFrench puts words in his opponents' mouths (who is demanding at least 75% of Trump misconduct must be ignored?) inadvertently hits on a perfectly valid point by Trump supporters here -- and doesn't even try to explain why it's wrong.
5b) Of course Trump's misdeeds should be criticized as they happen. Agreed 100%. But *why* must the criticism be "constant"? What purpose is served by "frequently" joining dogpiles that are consistently exhaustive whenever Trump so much as breathes?
5c) It's worth noting @DavidAFrench's hypocrisy here. There are countless examples of hate from French's friends & allies that he's happy to stay silent about. Hell, you can even call one of his colleagues a Nazi & David will still go on your podcast!
conservativestandards.com/2019/03/31/rem…
conservativestandards.com/2019/03/31/rem…
6a) Here's where @DavidAFrench's sophistry sinks to its lowest, most contemptibly un-Christian depths. Almost none of Trump's sins come close to actively discouraging pro-lifers from voting pro-life while bragging about how pro-life you are.
6b) French argues that because "hearts & minds" + state laws reduce abortion rates regardless of who's president, national elections. Because as long as the number keeps going in the right direction, it's not like there's any moral urgency to OVER 862,000 CHILD KILLINGS a year.
6c) Further, as @DavidAFrench is surely smart enough to grasp (but pretends not to), national elections impact the fortunes of state laws (judges, Dems' various "codify Roe" plans), future elections (amnestying future Dem voters), even the freedoms of pro-life pregnancy centers.
6d) @DavidAFrench's shameful point here is just regurgitating an old, cliched excuse Republicans have long used to downplay their pro-life constituents' performance expectations, repurposed to rationalize letting a Planned Parenthood devotee take over the entire executive branch.
7a) Note the bait & switch here: the mere act of *enthusiastically voting against abortion* suddenly constitutes "embracing or defending hate'" -- when @DavidAFrench HASN'T EVEN TRIED TO BACK UP THE HATE CHARGE!
7b) Side note: all this lecturing on hate is more than a little hard to swallow coming from one half of one of the most hate-filled couples in the field. Targeted dishonesty of the sort @DavidAFrench & @NancyAFrench trade in doesn't come so naturally without hate in one's heart.
8a) Pure revisionism. Trump won because the Right was so fixated on the idea of Trump as some unique existential horror that they treated all the non-Trumps as equally acceptable, & neither united around another primary candidate nor disqualified any of the others for their sins.
8b) Unless @DavidAFrench means Evangelicals are supposed to "veto" Trump's presidency now, in which case he has an obligation to lay out *how* they're supposed to do that. He doesn't.
9a) This is emotional manipulation, not argument. @DavidAFrench tosses this condescension out there as if it's a given that politically supporting Trump is an inherent rejection of moral standards -- but he STILL hasn't made the case for that premise! He doesn't even try!
9b) Even worse is the insincerity; @DavidAFrench is as "worldly" as anyone when it's convenient. Bush abandons Scooter Libby to a malicious prosecution? No comment. Rubio lies to the country about the Gang of 8 bill? Crickets. To David, both were still fine, supportable men.
9c) For those with short memories, here’s the background on those items:
deseret.com/2007/3/11/2000…
nationalreview.com/corner/rubios-…
deseret.com/2007/3/11/2000…
nationalreview.com/corner/rubios-…
10) You want to repent of your own sins, @DavidAFrench? You can prove it by getting started on some of these:
conservativestandards.com/2019/08/03/dav…
conservativestandards.com/2019/08/03/dav…
11) @DavidAFrench's sophistry here is symptomatic of 95% of #NeverTrump/Swampcon output on intra-movement disputes. They're not trying to persuade others or reason out their own stances. It's purely theater to give emotional reinforcement to those who already agree. Pathetic.
