<p>In light of some of the liberal/conservative-bashing posts lately, I thought this might be nice (and also might give me some good ideas on pundits and politicians to watch/read).</p>
<p>Name a columnist, pundit, or other public figure, whose political beliefs are opposed to yours, but whom you respect and whose arguments you respect. So, for liberals, a conservative, for conservatives, a liberal…for libertarians, a socialist, I guess, and vice versa? No copping out by naming someone of a different political party whose views are still similar to yours. For example, if you’re a conservative, Zell Miller doesn’t count, and if you’re a liberal, Olympia Snowe doesn’t count.</p>
<p>I’ll go first. I think George Will is really intelligent and a fine, thoughtful writer. I’ve enjoyed reading his columns for many years, even though they sometimes find me arguing out loud with the newspaper column. :D</p>
<p>I respect Pat Buchanan a lot. Not sure if this counts, since I do agree with him on many things, but I also disagree on some things.</p>
<p>Um…can’t think of anyone else right now, but I’ll give it some thought…</p>
<p>Great thread! I love the idea of respecting someone even though you disagree. If more people could grasp this concept, the world would be a better place.</p>
<p>I’d have to say that I respect Debra Saunders. Although she falls back into the repetition of knee-jerk right wing blather and “truthy” soundbites more often than I’d like, it seems to me that there is actually an independent mind back there which produces opinions - many of which I disagree with, some of which I don’t. </p>
<p>I’m struggling to think of a conservative politician since Goldwater that I could honestly say I respect, and failing. Of course, I don’t see many actual “conservatives” in office these days, so that might be part of the problem.</p>
<p>I’d also note that I respect a number of the rightish posters here on CC, and would be sad to see them leave.</p>
<p>I more often find this in local politicians than those on the national level. Maybe because you have a chance to get to know them as balanced people and not just as cardboard cutouts on television.</p>
<p>I used to say Dianne Feinstein, but I’m not so sure any more. I kind of admired Jerry Brown’s courage to follow his convictions, even though I thought he was, and probably still is, barking mad. I respect John McCain when he’s not in a Mr. Hyde phase. I never thought Walter Mondale deserved to get stomped like that in 1984 – he was an honorable man, even if he was an irredeemable socialist. I wasn’t a big fan of either Jerry Ford or Jimmy Carter, but I respected both of them. Not so much Carter any more since he started his own foreign policy (something that is a violation of federal law, and would have landed anyone other than an ex-President in trouble).</p>
<p>I’m not sure where he falls in most people’s liberal/conservative scale but I find Christopher
Hitchens both fascinating and …I’ll stick with fascinating. A former Trotskyite, now described by some as a neocon apologist (on Iraq and “Islamic fascism”), this dude can get the blood rolling. So…I kind of like that. Respect? Hmmmmmm. Maybe in a sense, but I do like him.</p>
<p>Not national, but, here in NJ we’ve got a Reagan-worshiping/libertarian columnist named Paul Mulshine whom I very much respect, and often agree with (and just as often don’t.) Either way, I like that he thinks.</p>
<p>The easy one is Joe Lieberman but I’m sure most would say that that falls into the copout category. However, despite my shared views with him on foreign policy/terrorism, I’m sure he is miles away from me on domestic issues. After seeing the way that he was willing to put his convictions above political expediency on foreign policy issues, I have to assume that he acts similarly on domestic issues. I can respect that.</p>
<p>As a libertarian, pretty much hate the whole field outside of Ron Paul. I will say that I respect Mike Gravel for speaking out about fund raising fraud, and calling on America to wake up to the tyranny of special interests. I think he has some whacky socialist ideas, but I appreciate his candidness and honesty.</p>
<p>garland- I agree on Mulshine- he is a consistent conservative/libertarian. I look forward to his column.
curmudgeon- I agree on Hitchens- although I have trouble reading his stuff- I love to listen to him discuss issues
There is a radio host in Philadelphia- Michael Smerconish I enjoy.
Politically Mike Huckebee(sp) seems like a decent person.</p>
<p><i>I’m not sure either vyse , but I was scrambling. It’s tougher from my side. </i></p>
<p>You sure? Your leading pundit is a melodramatic hack who takes all his information from Media Matters and occasionally gives an “omg, bush has destroyed america and iz the worst evar!” speech, and who is in the bottom tier of the cable ratings.</p>
<p>Honestly, I’m not sure why anyone watches the cable pundits. They’re all quite blatantly employed by one party or another (Olby by the Dems, Hannity and Bill O by the GOP). The only guy who seems to criticize both parties is Glenn Beck, but he’s too stupid to be watchable.</p>
<p>Hitchens is fun to watch just because acts so boorishly and because he’s so well read. If you debate Hitchens without doing some serious research, he won;t hesitate to embarrass you</p>
<p>He never was a big national figure, but I respected California governor George Deukmejian. I didn’t vote for him the first time he ran, but when he ran for re-election I voted for a Republican for the first and probably only time in my life. Not that I had come to agree with him on a lot of things, but I had to admit that the state had been pretty well-run and that he had earned another term.</p>
For example, if you’re a conservative, Zell Miller doesn’t count, and if you’re a liberal, Olympia Snowe doesn’t count.</p>