Jewish World Review Dec. 7, 2004 / 24 Kislev, 5765

Tucker Carlson

Tucker Carlson
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Who's responsible for the stolen Ukrainian election?

http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | Desperate to retain influence over its former Soviet colonies, Russia openly subverts a democratic election in neighboring Ukraine, using violence, bribery and manipulation of the state-controlled media.


If you've been reading the papers lately, you're familiar with the depressing details. So here's a news quiz: Who's responsible for the stolen Ukrainian election? If you guessed Vladimir Putin, the Russian strongman who actually did it, give yourself an "N," for naive.


According to many in Europe, it is — needless to say — all America's fault. Within days of the election, newspapers in England began muttering about U.S. interference in the Ukraine. American funded polls. A pro-Democracy movement supported by the United States. One British columnist pointed out that the Ukrainian opposition candidate's wife is a U.S. citizen, who once worked in the Reagan administration. A sleeper cell for sure.


Other critics suggested that it was hypocritical for a country as corrupt as the United States to weigh on other people's corruption. As our friend Katrina Vander Huevel put it, in The Nation magazine, "What right does this Administration have to lecture Ukraine when Bush came to office in a non-violent coup d'etat in 2000?"


All of this is new evidence of an old trend: For many on the international left, hatred of the United States trumps all else. Yes, election-stealing is bad. But not as bad as being allied with the U.S. And so America's enemies gain legitimacy simply for being America's enemies.


It's an interesting psychological phenomenon, and it explains a lot. Consider it next time you wonder why Al-Qaida isn't quite so unpopular in Europe.

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JWR contributor Tucker Carlson is a journalist, college instructor, public speaker and host and managing editor of the PBS show "Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered." His first book is "Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites: My Adventures in Cable News."(Click HERE to purchase. Sales help fund JWR.) Comment by clicking here.


11/09/04: Commitment of Bush voters
11/01/04: America's Big Winner
10/25/04: Not voting is also a choice
10/12/04: The X Prize
09/27/04: Authenticity vs. hypocrisy
09/20/04: Appealing to the ‘Alzheimer's vote’ — no joke
09/13/04:Who are our soldiers in Iraq?
09/07/04: Racial diversity at the RNC
08/30/04: Here's a scary thought: Political expression has been criminalized and nobody seems to care
08/16/04: Heterosexuality as a political ploy

© 2004, Tucker Carlson