Maureen Dowd: Clown

Maureen Dowd has an hilarious column in today ripping Republicans for unfairly and cynically characterizing failed Democratic presidential candidates from Al Gore to John Kerry to Michael Dukakis.

She writes:

Usually, at this stage of a presidential campaign, Republicans are doing a much better job of sullying the Democratic candidate as un-American.

Michael Dukakis was accused of having a funny last name and failing to say the Pledge of Allegiance 10 times a day. John Kerry was faulted for acting French and eating Philly cheese steaks with Swiss cheese. Al Gore was into the earth and earth tones — need we say more?

It's hilarious because Dowd has made a career out of comically and cynically characterizing these very men as pathetic losers. She practically made the name Al Gore synonymous with "earth tones."

Even a few liberals have tired of Dowd's snarky dishonesty. Including Bob Somerby at the Daily Howler. in this recent post...

Over the past twenty-five years, Maureen Dowd has played an extremely destructive role in our journalistic culture. 

On Sunday, Dowd was clowning again, pretending to worry her small tiny brain about the size of Candidate Romney’s home. Yesterday, we helped you recall the days when she played this same stupid game with respect to Candidate Kerry. (See THE DAILY HOWLER, 3/19/12.) 

We also helped you recall the way Dowd went after Candidate Kerry’s wife. Kerry’s wife was an obvious bitch, a point Maureen Dowd enjoyed stressing.

Of course, Maureen Dowd has slimed a long list of major male Democrats’ wives—and the career liberal world always sat there and took it. Finally, in June 2008, public editor Clark Hoyt savaged Dowd for an offshoot of this repellent conduct, right in her own New York Times. (See THE DAILY HOWLER, 3/14/12.)

Expect Somerby to have something to say about Dowd's ridiculous screed today.