White House promotes Hollywood activism
This is rich. The right-wing loves to decry Hollywood activists using their celebrity status to push a political agenda. Apparently the White House disagrees:
The latest evidence of patronage trumping qualifications in the Bush administration is the president's nomination last month of actor Ron Silver to the board of directors of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
According to its website, the mission of the USIP "is to support the development, transmission, and use of knowledge to promote peace and curb violent international conflict." Current board members include Holly Burkhalter of Physicians for Human Rights, former Assistant Secretary of State Chester Crocker, a senior fellow from the Hudson Institute, and a professor from George Mason University. What did Silver do to earn such a distinguished posting? Not long ago, the actor--once described in Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia as "a forceful and outspoken advocate of liberal causes"--dumped the Democrats and declared himself a "9/11 Republican." Impressed, the Republican Party awarded him a plum speaking slot at the 2004 GOP convention, at which he discussed his conversion and his fondness for Bush's foreign policy. Apparently, his loyalty was noted.
I guess you could defend the appointment by citing the administration's love for the born again. At any rate, I have the sneaking suspicion that the righties will save their venom for, say, something like UN Ambassador Penn.
The latest evidence of patronage trumping qualifications in the Bush administration is the president's nomination last month of actor Ron Silver to the board of directors of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
According to its website, the mission of the USIP "is to support the development, transmission, and use of knowledge to promote peace and curb violent international conflict." Current board members include Holly Burkhalter of Physicians for Human Rights, former Assistant Secretary of State Chester Crocker, a senior fellow from the Hudson Institute, and a professor from George Mason University. What did Silver do to earn such a distinguished posting? Not long ago, the actor--once described in Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia as "a forceful and outspoken advocate of liberal causes"--dumped the Democrats and declared himself a "9/11 Republican." Impressed, the Republican Party awarded him a plum speaking slot at the 2004 GOP convention, at which he discussed his conversion and his fondness for Bush's foreign policy. Apparently, his loyalty was noted.
I guess you could defend the appointment by citing the administration's love for the born again. At any rate, I have the sneaking suspicion that the righties will save their venom for, say, something like UN Ambassador Penn.
posted by Matt Sandwich | 6:10 AM
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