This from the Washington Post today”
Justice Thomas Lashes Out in Memoir
Book Attacks Liberals and the Media, Breaks Near-Silence on Anita HillJustice Clarence Thomas settles scores in an angry and vivid forthcoming memoir, scathingly condemning the media, the Democratic senators who opposed his nomination to the Supreme Court, and the “mob” of liberal elites and activist groups that he says desecrated his life.
This from the Virginia Daily Press:
After 16 years of public silence on his bitter confirmation hearings, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas settles some scores in his forthcoming memoir, scathingly condemning the media, the Democratic senators who opposed his nomination and the “mob” of liberal elites and activist groups who he says desecrated his life.
This headline from the LA Times:
In book, Thomas lashes out at foes
The justice decries the media, Democrats who fought his nomination, and groups that he says used Anita Hill.
Now did you glean from those article headlines and ledes from the Ordinary Ministers of the Media that Justice Clarence Thomas’ book is about his relationship with his grandfather who raised him?
From those newspapers reviews you would expect to read a harsh Ann Coulter-ish screed against liberals which is not the case. I will never understand why the media hates Justice Clarence Thomas so much. Is it because he’s a black Conservative? A Catholic? Pro-Life?
I look forward to reading this book. I’m right now in the middle of reading Chesterton’s “Everlasting Man.” Imagine what the media would’ve said about Chesterton today?
September 30, 2007 at 1:27 am
Chesterton found ten ways to say the same thing, and used all of them. I found that to be the case in reading “The Dumb Ox” and never finished. I love his quotes and short essays. His books are definitely not light reading.
But newspapers are, generally. Not because they’re shallow, but because they have to get to the point sooner than a book. And the fact that Clarence Thomas spoke freely for the first time about the challenges of his nomination to the High Court, well, that’s news. Really. I mean, I watched those hearings. I was at parties where Anita Hill was being discussed, and women began sharing their stories about being harassed at the workplace (which was also news at the time). Even if he was innocent (and I think he was), it brought that issue out into the open. And if he’s got an opinion about all that, and can shed any light on it — well, yeah, I’m gonna wanna know about that. Above the fold.
The book itself would certainly be worth reading, to know the crucial figures in the early life of such an accomplished man. But it doesn’t take much to know what even a responsible newspaper will jump on, especially when the wire stories are already taking it there.
I’m not praising the mainstream media; I’m just saying that’s how it works.
October 2, 2007 at 1:50 am
Just a quick tidbit – My parish priest – whom I have known since I was five – went to school with Clarence Thomas. He mentioned that after attending a reunion. FYI.