Appearing on Friday's Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, Randy Cohen, the “The Ethicist” columnist for the New York Times Magazine, blurted: “I'm a huge Obama fan. I think it's such an unbelievably great thing to have a President who's competent and not insane.”
Cohen's praise for President Barack Obama, combined with the cheap insult of former President George Bush, came just before a “but” as he expressed disappointment with Obama's pledge to not prosecute CIA operatives who “tortured” terrorists.
Cohen, who also helms the “Moral of the Story” blog for NYTimes.com, has long had disdain for Bush. In 2003 he questioned if Bush could “honorably” continue to serve in office and in late 2005 he was disgusted with Bush compared to Bill Clinton: “We've got a guy now who lied the country into a war.”
My November 20, 2005 NewsBusters item, “New York Times’ 'Ethicist' Charges Bush 'Lied the Country Into a War,'” recounted:
Sunday’s New York Times Magazine features another weekly submission from Randy Cohen, writer of "The Ethicist" column, about a non-political topic -- who should pay for damage done to an office building by a doctor’s patient -- but on Friday’s Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS Cohen made clear his disgust with President Bush. When Ferguson raised Bill Clinton’s name, Cohen reacted with outrage that Ferguson was still concerned about such old news: "Oh, Clinton, he's been out of office for, you know, how long? Seven years. Some little lie about his personal life. We've got a guy now who lied the country into a war. You're talking about Clinton from seven years ago?" Actually, Clinton left office fewer than five years ago. Cohen advised that on Monica Lewinsky “he should have said, 'None of your business' and then after that, it's between him and his wife.”
Cohen’s hostility to President Bush isn’t based on recent events. A MRC CyberAlert item in June of 2003 recounted: “Since President Bush is either a 'liar’ or 'corrupt’ or just plain 'incompetent’ now that his reasons for war with Iraq have all been found to be untrue, the 'ethicist’ columnist for the New York Times wondered on CNN whether Bush can 'honorably’ continue to serve in office.”
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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Comments Policy
The sooner these news
April 25, 2009 - 06:47 ET by kgThe sooner these news organizations go bankrupt the better it will be for the country.
"DumbAssity of Dope"
kg, I hope we're seeing
April 25, 2009 - 13:45 ET by Chris Normankg,
I hope we're seeing the last vicious swipes from a dying monster.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
I won't miss the NYT's, and
April 25, 2009 - 15:42 ET by Richard RomanoI won't miss the NYT's, and I definitely won't miss this foolish leftist jerk, this self-important gnome.
huh?
April 25, 2009 - 06:47 ET by SickofLibsThe NYT has an "Ethicist"?
That's like Perez Hilton (may Allah curse him) writing for Penthouse.
An "ethicists"...?
April 25, 2009 - 06:55 ET by superconHow do you get a job like that?
So he doesn't like Bush but is a big fan of Obama and Clinton as well.Clinton and Obama are two men who are known to be a little fast and loose with the truth but he has no problem with that?Also he works for the NYT's which has a history of publishing stories that have been proven to be untrue. The NYT's has also published classified secrets on occasion as well.
It seems Mr. Cohen is a little selective about when and where he like to apply his "ethics".
Because with a name like Obama... you know it has to be good.
My sentiments exactly. No doubt this is the best the left has
April 25, 2009 - 12:24 ET by pahuberto offer us...
Memo to NYT
April 25, 2009 - 08:19 ET by ThisnThatThis ain't news. And it certainly isn't fit to print.
___________________________________
The challenge is to follow a consistent plan despite inconsistent prices - Sarah Palin, State of the State of Alaska speech
BANG BANG BANG
April 25, 2009 - 08:49 ET by VinncyGDrive those nails into that useless papers coffin. I hope all you shareholders keep smiling all the way to the poor house while his has been of a paper refuses to improve it's financial condition by just being fair and balanced. OH, I hope this clown is the one who turns out the lights when they fold.
OIC
April 25, 2009 - 08:56 ET by botgethicist = propagandist, in newspeak
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend,------------inside a dog it's too dark to read" ---Groucho
I feel like I have fallen
April 25, 2009 - 10:32 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsI feel like I have fallen into 'Opposite World' where everything means the opposite. Obama, 'competent and sane'? Is this the guy who didn't know to salute a Marine as CIC? The guy who bows to foreigners? The guy who won't verbally defend the country he was elected to serve? The guy who says all Presidents before him were evil?
Sheesh!
D
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
What is HBO? What is NYT?
April 25, 2009 - 11:22 ET by jefflebowskiOh yeah, those two ancient organizations that support wacko liberal ideals? Yeah, I remember them. Good thing they're gone.
Angry White Dude
www.angrywhitedude.c...
If this jackass thinks
April 25, 2009 - 14:50 ET by RogerCfromSDIf this jackass thinks Obama is sane, then we all know what the ethicist's state of mind is.
A nation cannot be free without a free, unbiased media. We are not free.
Nice Stunt
April 25, 2009 - 21:13 ET by StevefromMKEThis was the definition of getting cheap heat. And not very brave either in front of a crowd that wouldn't do anything but clap like trained seals.
Can I be MRC's ethicist? I
April 26, 2009 - 00:14 ET by snaggletoothieCan I be MRC's ethicist? I say lots of stupid things and I'd be willing to do it in public for theright price.
More propaganda...
April 26, 2009 - 00:27 ET by bigtimerMore drivel.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Reverend Jim Jones or the
April 26, 2009 - 02:58 ET by RR GOPReverend Jim Jones or the infamous Disney lemmings going over a cliff...
....nope, just can't decide which metaphor is better...hmmm....
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
ETHICIST-New York Times/Cohen
April 28, 2009 - 21:22 ET by Charles H. GarridoHello! Brent Baker Thanks.- ETHICIST (n) ethics the philosophical analysis of human morality and conduct,system of conduct or behavior, moral principles (ETHICIST) (n).-Webster Thesaurus..- No wonder this fellow Mr.Cohen is all screw up including NYT,S remember does same olds "words" ethicist Mr. DUBOIS, Mr. MATHEWS during 1959 Cuba was finish.- By the way Mr.Cohen why? go to Israel? (by the way I have an Apartment) 18 Kilometers from Tel Aviv..an not Jewish I'm ROMAN CATHOLIC.- Probably your brother JUDAS ISCARIOTT. will be better -Oh!!! Both go to "PALESTINIA" an visit TEA and Cookies.with HAMMAS or whoever.- This OBAMA,S ADMINISTRATION - USA/TAXESPAYERS is already giving "$$$$$ "Stimulus" for those poor Palestinians. - During President BUSH Jr. was a man with "Balls or "Cojones" that's USA and ISRAEL at this time we are Strong, Better and SAFE. (Middle East Region if you know, about History & Geography).-Go and read about Readers Digest (Little magazine). Thanks & Cooperation Charles H. Garrido, Miami Fla.--