Como Se Lo Dice “Wingnut” En Espanol?

I’ve noticed CNN plugging this guy Ruben Navarrette, Jr. on its site for a little while now, though I have to admit that I really don’t give these people much attention since they tend to come and go every few months anyway.

Despite that, I read the column he wrote today, which is a follow-up to his column last week defending Abu Gonzales that I pretty much blew off. I decided to read him today out of curiosity (more fool me, I guess – why would I expect much credibility from our corporate media at this point?).

What I found was Navarrette playing the “oh help me; I’m a poor, misunderstood Hispanic conservative getting beaten up by liberals for defending another Hispanic!” card, in which he sneaks in this little gem:

In response to the commentary, I was flooded with angry e-mail from condescending liberals. (I know. Is there any other kind?)

I suppose it’s truly a good sign that the “melting pot” still exists in this country, despite the best efforts of the Repugs and their “fortress America” policy on immigration, including the “fence” between us and Mexico (and how ironic is it that a Hispanic defends the party responsible for that?). I say that because Navarrette provides an example here that anyone, regardless of race, color, creed or gender orientation, can be an intolerant and utterly misinformed freeper numbskull also.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s look at this from the “reality perspective.”

So, let’s see…as Josh Marshall notes here (and in nested posts to this one), Gonzales states that the eight attorneys were fired for performance reasons, though it has come to light since then through internal memos (especially in the cases of Carol Lam and David Iglesias) that they were fired for political reasons. Gonzales also stated that he “hadn’t been directly involved in the process” of firing the attorneys, though it has also since come to light that he signed off on the paperwork confirming the terminations. Also, it has been revealed that the Department of Justice “brainstormed” with the White House on how to “sell” the firings to the public.

It’s all about “owning the message” with these people, isn’t it (and by the way, it bears repeating that the lawyers in question are Republicans, and they were appointed by Republicans).

But, as Marshall so correctly states, this really is about Dubya and Karl Rove. Nothing happens in this administration without their signoff, and if anyone believes otherwise, including Navarrette, then that person truly is el zanahoria (not too bright, that is).