I don't know who Steve Clemons is. But he has published on his own
blog, thewashingtonnote, for which he raises money right there, a threat
from Charles Freeman's son to punch me, Jon Chait, and Jamie Kirchick in
the face. He also calls us "low-lives" and
"shmucks." Very elevated discourse. Jon, he says,
"scaled new lows." I am
"unpleasant." And he makes some incomprehensible gay
crack about Jamie, which even Clemons takes pains to disavow.
Alas, Charles Freeman, Jr. does not have much of an independent
life. He is the incumbent of the Freeman Chair in China
Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a
declining cold war think tank that appointed Zbig Bzrezinski to a
professorship of geo-strategy when the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced
International Studies refused to give him a permanent position. Anyway, Zbig is very old. Why does he need permanency?
But young Charles is very young. I don't know his qualifications
for the professorship. And he addresses his "Dad," always, by the
way, dad with a capital "D." Very
respectful. When my children write me they address me as "Dear
dad..." Well, different families, different formalities.
Still, to junior's credentials: he was U.S. assistant trade
representative to China, something like the post his Dad held decades
ago.
Charles Freeman, the Freeman Chair in China Studies, doesn't really make an
argument for his father, although he quotes someone else who's smart as saying that senior is "scary smart."
Otherwise, it's personal commentary. "He jabs at Congressional
perfidies and at established wisdoms and has punched the odd scared cow
in the face. But he's seriously smart." Dad's smartness
seems to have overwhelmed his seed.
And towards the finish line: "My Dad is a royal pain in the butt,
but I love him." That is not an argument for his
appointment. So the only point left is so crude that by itself it
should disqualify Chas Sr. "Why this arfing pack of lapdogs
should have chosen him for a target is clear: he's been a long-time thorn
in the butt of the Israel first-ers." And that's why Professor
Freeman says his pop should get the job.
I do not think this is a qualification in President Obama's
eyes.