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38<br />

I Challenge Rich Lowry to a Fight<br />

Rich Lowry is an editor at <strong>the</strong> National Review. If you watch cable news, you've probably<br />

seen his head talking here or <strong>the</strong>re, arguing <strong>the</strong> conservative position on some issue of <strong>the</strong><br />

day. He's pretty young, I'd say about forty now. He's not bad, as <strong>the</strong>se guys go. Fairly articulate.<br />

He even enjoyed a run as a semi-regular on The NewsHour<br />

One area where Lowry seems paleo-conservative, though, is in <strong>the</strong> realm of gender politics.<br />

When Massachusetts governor Jane Swift had twins, he called for her to step down. I<br />

agreed, but that was because she was a Republican.<br />

As you may have figured out by now, I'm a bit of a C-SPAN junkie, and a couple of<br />

years ago, late at night, I caught Rich talking, I think, to some College Republicans. He was<br />

saying that Democrats had "feminized" politics. In fact, by making it okay for politicians to<br />

cry, Lowry said that we Democrats had "sissified" politics.<br />

There seemed to be only one thing to do. The next day, I called <strong>the</strong> National Review and<br />

got Rich's direct line. I remember <strong>the</strong> conversation very clearly.<br />

RICH: Hello.<br />

ME: Rich, Al <strong>Franken</strong>. How do you do?<br />

RICH: Fine. To what do I owe <strong>the</strong> honor of your call?<br />

ME: Well, I saw you on C-SPAN last night talking about how we Democrats had sissified politics.<br />

So, I thought I'd challenge you to a fight.<br />

RICH: ... A fight?<br />

ME: Yeah. I figure <strong>the</strong> loser gives a thousand dollars to <strong>the</strong> winner's charity.<br />

RICH: Where ... where would we fight? ME: In my parking garage.<br />

RICH: Parking garage? ME: Yeah.<br />

RICH: What would <strong>the</strong> rules be? Me: No rules. It's like Fight Club. RICH: Fight Club?<br />

ME: Yeah. No weapons or anything. The first to say "uncle" loses.<br />

RICH: You want to fight me in a garage? With no rules?<br />

ME: Yeah. If you win, I have to give to some nutty right-wing cause. If I win, you have to give to<br />

... I don't know, NARAL or Emily's List.<br />

RICH: Can I ask you something?

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