Brokeback Oak Tree

Saturday's discussion on NARN of the book Why Mommy Is a Democrat? is up in podcast form on Power Line. As John Hinderaker mentions in his summary, it was highly entertaining.

And for those wanting to read even more about it, I'm happy to see the discussion continues in earnest on a blog called Dr. Helen. The blog proprietor (and Andie McDowell impersonator) listened to the podcast, blogged her cogent observations, and then her readers take it from there in her comments section, including a few cameo appearances from the book's author Jeremy Zilber.

It quickly spins off into side arguments, subject changes, personal agendas, and personal insults. In other words, the typical dynamics of any blog comments section debate. But, unlike many, these are all quite entertaining.

All the usual topics are covered of course, the My Lai massacre, Alan Colmes Syndrome, gratuitous bashing of economists. But my favorite subplot is the attempted outing of the mommy squirrel featured in the book. What exactly do we know about that squirrel's personal habits and when did we know it? Excerpts:

Helen: The author said that since most of the kids lived with their mother's, he wrote the book for them to read to the kids. All I can gather from this is that mom is gay (which Zilber hinted at on the radio show) or maybe dad left because mom is a controlling socialist, or Zilber doesn't give a damn about men and what they think (because they might be Republicans)or most likely, he is pandering to female Democrats, the only group most likely to buy into such a bunch of propaganda.

Jeremy Zilber: You also claim that I "hinted" that the Mommy squirrel is gay. In fact, I was asked where the daddy is, and I said: "I don't know. Daddy may just be at work. Daddy may be taking care of the house. He's ambiguously missing." Later I was asked "is it possible that the mommy squirrel may be a gay squirrel? Is that a possibility?" My answer: "Could be. I don't know. I haven't talked to her." (The host and I both laugh.) This, you think, is hinting that she's gay?

Assistant Village Idiot: The comment about gayness did not originate with you, but you allowed it's possibility -- from this you make the accusation that it was a lie that you hinted at gayness?

Helen: As far as whether the squirrel is gay, who cares? Certainly, as a tolerant Democrat--you should be the last person to be making an issue of this.

Jeremy Zilber: Perhaps this is a joke, but I'll treat it as if you're serious. As you'll recall, it was one of the show's hosts who first made an issue of this, and then YOU felt the need to discuss it further. I only mentioned it as evidence that you were lying (oops -- I mean you were "confused") about what I'd actually said on the air.

Full disclosure, that "host" referenced, who asked the original question about the squirrel's orientation was your truly. Which may explain why I'm known, in some circles, as the Joseph McCarthy of alternative squirrel lifestyles.