While the horrible events of 9/11 predated, somewhat, THE ESCHATON DECADE, among the numerous consequences was the rise of the warbloggers. Sullivan had a longish media career, but was also one of the early bloggers. And after 9/11, General Sullivan enlisted in the Fighting 101st Keyboard Kommandos, otherwise known as the "warbloggers," whose primary mission was to fight America's most important enemy, the enemy at home known as "Americans."
In the Sunday Times of London on September 16, 2001 (!!), Andrew had these lines:
The middle part of the country - the great red zone that voted for Bush - is clearly ready for war. The decadent left in its enclaves on the coasts is not dead - and may well mount a fifth column.
This was 5 days after 9/11 (presumably written a couple of days before). It was those coastal enclaves that were, you know, attacked, and already Andy had established that the "decadent left" was likely plotting treason as an appropriate response to 9/11. But the real wanking happened when there was a minor rewrite for when that piece was republished elsewhere and archived on his blog as a "Best of" (other proud accomplishments were his promotion of The Bell Curve and Betsy McCaughey's Clinton HCR lies).
The decadent Left in its enclaves on the coasts is not dead - and may well mount what amounts to a fifth column.
And the mountaineers might ride their mounts up a mountain to Mountainville.
The war at home was on, from Sullivan's screed pre-Afghanistan war on through the Dixie Chicking of America. It was not enough to support the war - any war eventually! - it was important to go to war against the people opposing it. It was so with Afghanistan when basically no one with a microphone opposed it, and it was so with Iraq when almost no one with a microphone dared do so (I'm looking at you Klein!). The rules of the game had been established. Oppose the war if you dare traitor!!!
Back in the day our Andy had a habit of comparing himself to Orwell, inspiring this from the late great dearly departed MWO.
The Daily Dish archives from the pre-2006 seem to have not survived Sullivan's various moves (possible I'm just failing to find), so most of the High Wanking from that era has to be found elsewhere, but at some point he started pushing something called The Eagles, which was the silent majority of people who agree with Andrew Sullivan about everything. I had more faith in The Beagles.
Lots of people like Sullivan. I met him once while having drinks with young Ezra Klein. Seemed nice enough. His views are certainly a wee bit less repellent than they used to be, perhaps he's laying off the minty-fresh testogrease a bit, though when I read his blog I react how I imagine people do when they read this blog: it's kinda boring and he doesn't write much. I at least have a comments section where occasionally a wise thing is said, and I'm the one who gets no respect! Still he occasionally finds time to weigh in on the "Are Black People Stupid?" question that he's long been fond of.
As we get higher and higher on this list, I get more tired even as the wanking of the wankers becomes greater and greater. One could waste a lifetime writing about the wanking of Andrew Sullivan. I'm starting to worry I have.