An Academic Boner in Washington

The Washington Post's almost-always irritating Dana Milbank, who generally forgets whether he's wearing a reporter's or a columnist's hat, has a rather interesting report today on a CAIR-sponsored hate-Israel fest at the National Press Club. (The "Council on American-Islamic Relations," allegedly a nonpartisan organization, is nothing more than an Islamist front organization that has in the past even hornswoggled the usually alert Bush Administration into thinking they represented moderate Islam.) This propaganda session for the press, er, news event, featured the University of Chicago's leading Israel hater, "political scientist" John Mearsheimer. Mearsheimer bills himself as a Washington expert. Oh, really?

University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer was in town yesterday to elaborate on his view that American Jewish groups are responsible for the war in Iraq, the destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure and many other bad things. As evidence, he cited the influence pro-Israel groups have on "John Boner, the House majority leader."

Actually, Professor, it's "BAY-ner." But Mearsheimer quickly dispensed with Boehner (R-Ohio) and moved on to Jewish groups' nefarious sway over Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who Mearsheimer called " Von Hollen."

Such gaffes would be trivial -- if Mearsheimer weren't claiming to be an authority on Washington and how power is wielded here. But Mearsheimer, with co-author Stephen Walt of Harvard's Kennedy School, set off a furious debate this spring when they argued that "the Israel lobby" is exerting undue influence in Washington; opponents called them anti-Semitic.

And parental units pay big tuition bucks for this? But, of course, everyone knows that Mearsheimer and his pal Walt are distinguished and non-partisan. Merely disinterested academics pursuing the truth. And what might that truth be?

When the two professors finished, they were besieged by autograph- and photo-seekers and Arab television correspondents. Walt could be heard telling one that if an American criticizes Israel, "it might have some economic consequences for your business."

Before leaving for an interview with al-Jazeera, Mearsheimer accepted a button proclaiming "Walt & Mearsheimer Rock. Fight the Israel Lobby."

"I like it," he said, beaming.

Wonder what kind of pipe Mearsheimer's smoking.