Vanity Fair magazine just ended its third annual "New Establishment Summit" in San Francisco, a three-day conclave bringing together "titans of technology, politics, business, media and the arts for inspiring conversations on the issues and innovations shaping the future."
More accurately, what the magazine's predominantly liberal readership would deem "inspiring." At least one of those conversations, between New York magazine writer Frank Rich and purported humorist/Vanity Fair contributing editor Fran Lebowitz, hardly qualifies.
Their discussion turned inevitably to the presidential campaign and Lebowitz offered this on how she "knew Trump wouldn't win" long before the pesky election that actually decides it --
I just knew there were not quite enough morons. There are just a few too few morons for that to happen.
"Just a few too few" in lieu of "just a few" -- and this from a person with the job title of "editor." Hold on, it gets worse. Here's Lebowitz's take on Trump's "image" -
He's a poor person's idea of a rich person. They see him. They think, 'If I were rich, I'd have a fabulous tie like that. Why are my ties not made of 400 acres of polyester?' All that stuff he shows you in his house -- the gold faucets -- if you won the lottery, that's what you'd buy.
But the real gem came when Lebowitz was asked about "anti-abortion advocates, like Mike Pence" --
[They] are the perfect advertisements for abortion. There should be retroactive abortions.
Two short sentences, and each so appalling.
Yes, Lebowitz, a professional curmudgeon, is being deliberately provocative. But she reveals more than intended and what comes through is repellent.
First of all, it's hard to believe Lebowitz is sincere in stating that prominent politicians who oppose the killing of unborn babies are "perfect advertisements" for abortion -- as opposed to, for example, the woman whose life is threatened by her pregnancy? Wouldn't she make a better, uh, "ad" for abortion, for those inclined to think along these lines, as opposed to one merely featuring a politician Lebowitz abhors?
Lebowitz says this about Pence in a way she never would about Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, the only difference being that Richards shares Lebowitz's dogmatic opinion on abortion. Hence, Richards is worthy of life while Pence isn't. Lebowitz is not wishing Pence dead but the next closest thing, which is saying he should never have been born due a deadly medical intervention while in utero.
What's most comical about Lebowitz's remarks, though not in the way she intends, is how cliched they are, especially considering her saying them amid this glittering colloquium filled with "titans" of media, tech, biz and the arts ... abortion foes are the very reason we need abortion! It would be a stretch to suggest Lebowitz is only a degree separated from wanting political opponents herded into boxcars, but she's close enough to look over your shoulder. It's not the unborn Pence who Lebowitz wants aborted, it's him.
