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I almost titled this post, "The Arrogance of Blogging: The Secret World of E.D. Kain." (But I thought better of it, starting the header instead with "E.D. Kain" so as to maximize TOTAL Search Engine Optimization!)
I was working at my office Friday night, cleaning out old books in preparation for my department's move into our new college building. While packing, I came across my copy of Anthony Summers', The Arrogance of Power: The Secret World of Richard Nixon. Two words in Summers' book title capture the essence of E.D. Kain: arrogance and secret. I wrote about E.D.'s arrogance a couple of days ago, in "Sleaze-Blogger E.D. Kain Reaches Pinnacle of 'Conservative' Blogosphere! Simultaneously Linked by Andrew Sullivan and Charles Johnson!" At the book's brief foreword, Summers asks, "Who was this man in whom so many millions of Americans had placed their trust, who had broken that trust, yet who had achieved political resurrection time and again?"
That's a rather interesting quotation in relation to E.D. Kain, a moral coward trying to outrace a secret life of reptilian dishonor and shame, also seeking political resurrection. A man who has broken trust, mine certainly, but also the trust of many other bloggers to whom I've spoken. Who knows whose trust he'll destroy going forward? Indeed, who knows E.D. Kain, really? This is a man (if I can use that noun without discrediting it) who will descend to the most slimy dirtbag techniques to preserve the filthy stealth that is his own life. It's unbelievable, really, but that's what's fascinating about being online. You meet the most despicable cobags who'll take what they can get, then move on as quickly as a thief who steals a candy from children, without a second thought.
In any case, the "Sleaze-Blogger" entry must have must have really hit a nerve because it turns out that E.D. KAIN E-MAILED MY DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN TO ALLEGE DEFAMATION AT THIS BLOG. So, with this clear attempt at intimidation, there's not much doubt as to what's at stake for E.D. Kain. Through intimidation and threats, he's seeking to shut down this blog and quash the truth surrounding his political duplicity and moral bankruptcy.
The chair of my department, as a matter of administrative policy, informed me of the complaint, and then told me that HE WANTS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS CONFLICT. And for the record: E.D.'s complaint is going nowhere at my college, at least nowhere in the absence of formal legal action. The issue is First Amendment rights, first and formost. And what happens at the blog is my concern, not the school's. Intimidation and threats mean nothing. They won't silence me. They only prove the juvenile cowardice of the claimant. But most importantly, THERE'S NOTHING IN ANYTHING I'VE WRITTEN THAT'S UNTRUE -- NOTHING!! Nope, not a damned thing to raise even the slightest hint of libel. Hey, if it's a little in-your-face, and vulgar even, MAN UP BIG BOY!! Turn off your Ladies' Hallmark Christmas movies and GET IN THE ARENA!! It's all true. Everything I've ever written here about E.D. Kain is entirely true. Yep, and Mr. Sleaze-Blogger's totally wiggin'. So obviously I'm over the target if the puke's resorting to a cowardly campaign to chill freedom of speech. How damned pathetic.
And that, of course, substantiates what I've been saying all along: E.D. Kain is no conservative. He's a flaming Andrew Sullivan/Charles Johnson/Daniel Larison wannabe -- a spineless prick whose last inclination is to stand up like a man and TAKE SOME FREAKING RESPONSIBILITY!!
But I suppose I should explain: In June of 2008, E.D. Kain sent me an e-mail asking if I'd be interested in publication at his new online journal. He wrote, "I run NeoConstant, which I am attempting to turn into a sort of international nexus of neoconservative thought at a grassroots level." I'd already heard of the webzine. My good friend GSGF had tipped me off to it, and the site was generating considerable activity. For example, at Beaman's World, "NeoConstant Journal":
The piece was later published at Politics and Poetry, "Interview with top British Neoconservative commentator Douglas Murray":
In 2008, I was delighted to be presented with the chance to interview the leading British Neoconservative political commentator and author, Douglas Murray. The interview was originally published on the now defunct NeoConstant website and so I have decided to post it here on ‘Politics & Poetry’. This fascinating interview will be found no where else but here.
After posting a couple of my essays at NeoConstant, E.D. Kain wrote to say that "I assume that I have some free reign in cross-posting your pieces as they all are attributed to you and link back to American Power."
And so here's the thing: E.D. Kain assumed unlimited cross-posting privileges from my work at American Power. And that was fine -- I didn't mind at all. I enjoy cross-posting at other blogs, etc. I sent him essays I thought were a good fit, and everything was cool. But then one day NeoConstant went dark. First the server-page was inaccessible. Then E.D. put up an "under construction" notice. And then, in a burst of hilarity, he actually created a new website for a week or so called "NeoConstantine"! No doubt E.D. was hoping to hold on to the domain, but for the life of me I couldn't think of anything particularly conservative about a "neo" Eastern Orthodox Christianity, or something, but I guess that was the closest fit. (Daniel Larison's Christian Orthodox, however, so maybe there's some thread there, but more on that below.)
It didn't last long, in any case. NeoConstantine came down some time thereafter, and that was it. But strangely, throughout, not a word from E.D. on what was going on -- NOT ONE WORD! -- and hence the spineless secrecy. I'm not sure what happened, but I noticed E.D. had been palling around with folks like Mark Thomspon, a Palestinian fan and "Hamas-Helper" who praised rocket attacks on Israeli civilians as "rational" during the 2008 conflict (see, "Publius Endures Applauds Hamas Rationality"). Then some time toward the end of last year, these boys joined up to establish a new blog, The League of Ordinary Gentlemen. The League's ideological program is decidely leftist, with lots of postmod-conservatism thrown in (if there's really such a thing as "pomocons").
Soon, as best I can recall, E.D. Kain's criticism of the mainstream right started getting picked up by Andrew Sullivan. I have no clue if E.D. knows Sully personally, but I it's likely they communicate. Perhaps E.D. can respond, as this is just speculation. Either way, E.D. Kain's emergence as an Andrew Sullivan myrmidon is a key indicator this man's ideological destitution. Perhaps E.D. Kain's blogging on Sarah Palin gave Andrew Sullivan a rise, since the Daily Dish's biggest campaign has been to destroy Governor Palin, a program that continues today, unrelenting.
In July of 2009, E.D. Kain posted an entry at Ordinary Gentlemen entitled, "Two Thoughts on Sarah Palin." He declaims any doubts of Palin's maternity, and says he's got no problems with her rugged individualism, etc. Yet he does have a couple of other gripes:
First, that she doesn’t seem to actually know what it is she stands for; that she may have entered the last campaign with something of a blank slate and then sort of soaked up a lot of the conservative orthodoxy that was required of her. Maybe that’s not true, but something about her inability to really express or to fully grasp what it is that these conservative policies mean leads me to this conclusion, and to the next point:You got that? Especially, this part that, according to E.D. Kain, Palin is not "ready to be a leader at the national level ..."
She cannot speak coherently, cannot seem to properly formulate either her thoughts or her expressions, all of which makes me suspect her capacity to lead. Leadership requires communication skills, but even more importantly, the capacity to communicate is indicative of the strength of the leader themselves.
I liked George W. Bush as a person quite a lot. I think he was a nice guy, and genuinely well-meaning, but he, too, was short on communication skills, unable to cogently express his beliefs or thoughts, and I think that was an indication of his political shallowness more than merely a public speaking tic. As such I feel that he was easily manipulated, and too reliant upon his advisers. Contrast that with Ronald Reagan, the Great Communicator himself. And Palin is more in the mold of George W. than Reagan.
These two things – her shallow ideological framework and quick acceptance of the requisite talking points without much of an understanding of the policies themselves; and her inability to properly express her thoughts, beliefs, policy plans, and so forth – led me to the conclusion that she was not, in fact, ready to be a leader at the national level, whether or not she possessed some real political skills or a potential to lead in the future.
The problem is that this is not the same E.D. Kain we find in July 2008 at NeoConstant. As Duane Lester points out at his post, "New to the Blogroll: Neoconstant":
A great writer and Newsvine friend of mine, E.D. Kain, has a blog that I have added to our blogroll. If you get a chance, check out Neoconstant.
Here's a sample of what you can find there:I am overwhelmed by the excitement emanating from the Right on this. Not just social conservatives either! Secular cons and moderates are happy as can be, regardless of Palin's stance on abortion. I think many people realize that its more of a symbolic stance these days than anything. This isn't to say she doesn't stand by her pro-Life positions. I just personally think it is and should be a non-issue. I'm more interested in about a million other things like the economy and our defense, two things Palin has shown wisdom on.
Women, especially, regardless of lefty-pundits claims to the contrary, are extremely happy about this choice.
Now, as a man, I have to say, I don't blame them! I'm already in love with her whole family.
Gee, it certainly sounds like Governor Palin's ready for the national spotlight after all. And not just that, the ladies love her!
Now, since we don't have a link to NeoConstant (the blog being deleted, conveniently, it turns out), perhaps E.D. Kain can verify for us whether this discussion is accurate. WOULDN'T WANT TO SLANDER ANYONE, YOU KNOW!! That's right, perhaps another writer at NeoConstant showed such concern for the Oprah Winfrey demographic! Of course, Duane's using the passage as an example of E.D.'s "great" writing. We'll just have to wait for confirmation, in any case. But notice how in just 10 months E.D. went from praising Palin's "wisdom" on the economy and defense, to smearing her as a bog-dwelling hick. I mean what better way to win accolades -- and links! -- from such towering figures as Andrew Sullivan and Charles Johnson?!!
See the pattern? E.D. Kain's a crass political opportunist who jettisoned whatever ideological groundings he had to throw in his lot with the Obama-loving -- and alleged former "conservatives" -- Sullivan and King Charles. It's a near-perfect scheme! Start out as an anti-jihad pro-GWOT neoconservative, then start attacking the right for extremism and "wrecking" the Constitution, throw in a little anti-Birtherism, and you're all set. You'll be interviewing the LGF captain in no time!
And let me tell you: E.D. Kain is a work in progress, and a quick study!
On November 24, at True/Slant, a new gig for the sleaze-blogger, E.D. wrote a post called, "How Glenn Beck Can Save the Right." E.D. notes there that:
What conservatives need is someone with a high pulpit to tell them that this all-powerful executive branch and its corresponding militarism is wrong, is the antipathy of limited government, and is leading us far quicker toward bankruptcy than healthcare spending. Ron Paul started that ball rolling in the 2008 election. Perhaps Glenn Beck will be the one to pick it up and run with it.
Hey, not bad, except it doesn't square with the Charles Johnson's anti-climate-denialism meme. C.J.'s all about "science" you know, and since Glenn Beck just hammers the climate-change fearmongers mercilessly, E.D.'s got to throw Beck under the bus, here: "I've argued myself away from my Glenn Beck piece almost completely at this point." Wow. And in just three weeks time. Wouldn't want to jeopardize that possible blogging gig over at American Conservative -- the home of the anti-neocon resitance!
In fact, it turns out E.D.'s already angling for that gig already. Via his Twitter account, E.D. Kain attacked the "evil" neocons last week at True Slant, "America vs. Evil":
Daniel Larison lays waste to Abe Greenwald’s shoddy rendition of the history of American wars. Greenwald is attempting in his National Review piece to demonstrate how Obama is "going neocon."
Well, can't have Obama "going neocon" now, can we? Wouldn't fit well with E.D.'s butt-freak paleocon-pomocon opportunism.
Okay, it's time to sum up:
I'm not bothered that E.D. Kain took down his former, neoconservative webzine NeoConstant. That's his play. It doesn't particularly bother me either that he did so secretly, without informing me or ANY of the other people who had their work published there. (I'm keeping the names of other former NeoConstant writers confidential -- they don't need E.D. Kain calling THEIR WORKPLACE in an effort to intimate them into silence.) E.D.'s questionable methods in closing the journal might charitably be called "uncollegial"; and had he just moved on quietly, without turning to sink his fangs into the ideology of his former contributors, I'm sure I'd have forgotten all about it by now.
No, instead it's become clear that once Obama was elected, and E.D. becamed involved with the "paleocons" and the "pomocons," his former ties to the "neocons" were an obvious liability. E.D.'s a crass opportunist. It took just months to flip 100 percent on Sarah Palin (satisfying folks like Andrew Sullivan), and he took only three weeks to walk-back from Glenn Beck (appealing to the Lizard King of LGF). But the utlimate flip is the repudiation of neoconservatism itself, which appeals to the likes of Daniel Larison at the American Conservative. (And since E.D. Kain's biggest blog heroes are the champions of online libel-blogging, Andrew Sullivan against Sarah Palin and C.J. againt Robert Stacy McCain, the similarities are just devastating - and of course, for observers, the irony of E.D. Kain's moral collapse is utterly breathtaking.)
But what really bothers me is not just the DISHONESTY, CRASS OPPORTUNISM, and IDEOLOGICAL BANKUPTCY, but the SHEER ARROGANCE with a massive chaser of COWARDICE.
Recall what E.D. Kain wrote last week:
I really am spoiled reading the conservative writers that I do read at the Scene and the Porch and Pomocon and the other little pockets of intellectual conservatism remaining.
Forgive my language, but I'm calling bulls**t!! The last thing E.D. wants is true intellectualism, because to do so he'd actually have to subject his ideas to criticism. And to this day, after a number of essays written here, E.D.'s not once taken up the challenge. And why? Arrogance and secrecy, remember. The big "pomo" hotshot now at True/Slant just can't deign to tarry with the old bloggers he so eagerly published at NeoConstant! Moreover, besides the risk of getting his butt kicked in open debate, such engagement would compromise E.D.'s previously smooth but clandestine repudiation of his former neocon roots.
That is to say, as I've said before, E.D. "ERIK" Kain is a total "intellectual mountebank and an ideological imposter." I also said that E.D.'s a backstabber, and now we have absolute proof, SINCE THE SUCKER CONTACTED MY DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN TO INTIMIDATE AND SHUT DOWN THIS BLOG!!
So, pardon me if my language is a little off color, dear readers. E.D. Kain's not the first, though. I've been previously threatened with workplace intimidation by (O)CT(O)PUS and Repsac3 (see "DEFAMATION - DONALD STYLE"). They posted my college vice-president's information online and encouraged readers to file complaints against American Power with LBCC's administration!
So, E.D. Kain's in good company. None of these freaks can't handle the truth. In fact, they're totalitarian libel bloggers, classic leftists, and I won't stand for it.
In conclusion, I have never defamed nor slandered E.D. "ERIK" Kain. Everything I've written about him is true. And thus, since things have taken an ugly and uncomfortable turn, I'm demanding a FULL AND UNEQUIVOCAL APOLOGY!! I'm calling on E.D. Kain to write BLOG POSTS linking American Power, apologizing to me and taking full responsiblity for his actions, past and present. He must also renounce the underhanded tactics of intimidation and foreswear all efforts to contact my employer. My school has nothing to do with this. If E.D. Kain has claims against me, he can make them in a court of law, not in secret e-mails to my academic colleagues.
E.D. Kain's attempt to shut down discussion and debate is reprehensible. It threatens individual rights to freedom of speech. It seeks to chill criticism and dissent. It's intolerable, but typical of leftists. And thus E.D. Kain has proven himself not only a coward and a scoundrel, but the antithesis of a true conservative.
*****
P.S. Blogwars are a dime a dozen, and if E.D. Kain can't take the heat ... well, you know.
See, for reference, Patrick Frey's attack on Jeff Goldstein:
The things I say about you, I can prove. You’re a whiny, overly verbose, hypocritical, thin-skinned, dishonest, nasty, money-grubbing sorry excuse for a man. The evidence is out there.
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