It’s like a doctor who smokes. You’d think the last person to be done in by his own words would be a journalist. Shouldn’t a purveyor of words know better?

Yet as today’s forced resignation by WaPo columnist David Weigel proves, “Physician, heal thyself” is one piece of advice that seems to be ignored by wordsmiths of just about all stripes these days. On the heels of Helen Thomas—or are they flats?—Weigel is just the latest to join the Oral Suicide Club.

What was Weigel’s offense?  Unfortunately for him, the man hired by WaPo to write about the conservative movement couldn’t resist showing his true anti-conservative colors on what he thought was a “private” journalist email list called Journolist — which was disbanded today by its creator, Ezra Klein. In a June 24 Betsy Rothstein story on Fishbowl DC, Weigel in his own emailed words reveals what Weigel unplugged sounds like:

This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself on fire.

I’d politely encourage everyone to think twice about rewarding the Examiner with any traffic or links for a while. I know the temptation is high to follow up hot hot Byron York scoops, but please resist it.

Tucker Carlson’s The Daily Caller has unearthed other examples of Weigel’s bias, including a macabre death wish for Rush Limbaugh and other injudicious anti-conservative remarks. (more…)

In 2006, Michael Richards, who played “Kramer” on the Seinfeld series, appropriately apologized for his racist rant at the patrons of a comedy club where he was performing.  He later phoned the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to apologize, even though there was no indication they were at the comedy club when the incident occurred.

Now, alleged comedian Bill Maher has directed racist sarcasm at President Obama. Here’s what Maher said recently on HBO:

I thought when we elected a black president, we were going to get a black president. You know, this [BP oil spill] is where I want a real black president. I want him in a meeting with the BP CEOs, you know, where he lifts up his shirt where you can see the gun in his pants. That’s — (in black man voice) we’ve got a ‘motherfu**ing problem here?’ Shoot somebody in the foot.”

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