Ben Tribbett: Unapologetic to the bitter end
Ben Tribbett over at NLS is refusing to apologize or explain his comments from earlier attacking Miller's faith:
There might be nothing more uncomfortable than a candidate whose analogies don't come from personal experience. Harris Miller is Jewish and doesn't go to church! Here's what I find interesting. Ben is claiming offense for the fact that he too is Jewish, and yet...
I've known Ben for years and I didn't know he was Jewish. I'm amazed! If that is the case....
There might be nothing more uncomfortable than a candidate whose analogies don't come from personal experience. Ben Tribbett is Jewish and doesn't go to church! There's a story about people in glass houses... but I would be remiss to remind others of that small fact.
Bottom line: the attack on Miller's faith was base and disgusting, with no place in civlized discourse.
Ben Tribbett attacked Harris Miller on his faith. No one else did this, Ben was the first. Naturally, the Webb supporters in the blogosphere rushed to his defense, but only in order to shore up the damage that has already been done to Ben Tribbett's reputation, and Webb's via association.
Ben owes one simple explanation to resolve everything: Why did he mention Harris Miller's faith when attacking Miller's credentials?
Base attacks and false outrage are sympomatic of all that is wrong with blogs, and Ben knows it. He made a calculated attack no MSM editor would have ever allowed, and in the end it backfired (and rightly so). That a predictable few rushed to his defense is understandable -- they're putting out fires for their candidate. But at no time in the course of decorous political debate does attacking a person on their faith have a place.
That's what I have taken issue with, and Webb supporters have been keen to divert the issue or protect NLS from facing up to what he's done.
They get to sleep on that one, but I would be remiss not to correct an egregious wrong that hurts anyone of faith -- Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, etc. It's a duty to the dignity of the human person to protect, and shame on NLS for not owning up to what he's done.
Beyond that, there isn't much else to explain.
I will not offer an apology, for none is deserved. Ben Tribbett -- if the attack was not calculated -- should explain why Miller's faith is an issue in the Democratic primary, and why he brought it up.
Anything else is symptomatic of a guilty conscience.
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Shaun Kenney 
4 Comments:
I should caveat: his comments really shouldn't have any reflection on James Webb, whose character I don't doubt for a moment.
That having been said, Webb's supporters (and Ben) have some explaining to do.
Don't see my post as a defense of Ben or anything of the sort. I don't pretend to understand whether Ben was in the right (as a Jew) to point out that another man is Jewish. I have no idea, in all honesty, though I error towards "who cares?"
My post was on the innocence of Webb using the words "anti-christ".
The real scandal is the reaction from a very elite few of Webb supporters. I know it's chafing a lot of others.
That having been said, I don't blame Webb as an individual for the comment. He's an honorable person -- I do blame his campaign staff and supporters for steering him wrong.
Worst. Campaign. Ever. :)
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