Should "presidential historians" "facilitate" noted war criminals like Donald Rumsfeld?

Oh no, Rummy's back! And fifteen dollars seems a reasonable price to pay to see the noted war criminal "facilitated" by a certified "presidential historian" -- the kind of guy who's apt to ask erudite questions that begin, like, "Secretary Rumsfeld, as President Millard Filmore used to say . . ."

The "first stop on [Donald Rumsfled] highly anticipated national book tour" will be next Wednesday at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a center news release tells us. The book "chronicles his long career in public service," from his time in Congress - he was elected 48 years ago - to his work in the Nixon, Ford and Bush II administrations.

"Long career" is a euphemism for very, very long book, and this one weighs in at a hefty 2.6 pounds and 832 exciting pages, all for just $36. The Wednesday launch [that's next Wednesday, February 9 -- Ed.] includes a "conversation" to be "facilitated by presidential historian Michael Beschloss," where Rumsfeld "will discuss previously undisclosed details and insight into the Bush administration." Tickets for that are only $15, and books will be available for purchase (and signing) right there. . . .

-- from the item "The author you have . . .,"
in Al Kamen's WaPo "In the Loop" column

by Ken

Now just a doggone minute there. No, not the part about them charging suckers $15 for the privilege of watching Donnie R's live infomercial -- with the option of shelling out that additional $36 for the damned book. Hey, if they can get away with it, and people want to spend the money to be flimflammed, well, I guess more power to the whole lot of them.

No, I mean the part about the thing being "facilitated" by Michael Beschloss? Presidential historian Michael Beschloss is shilling for noted war criminal Donald Rumsfeld? Er, I mean, facilitating?

Back in the days when Imus was my morning mainstay, when his basic take on matters political was breezy irreverence, he built up a stable of crackerjack guests. Frank Rich was an almost always scintillating regular, for example, and "presidential historians" Doris Kearns Goodwin and Michael Beschloss were also frequent guests -- both really smart folks, who knew that Imus expected them to "bring something to the table" and usually did.

A QUICK NOTE ON "PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIANS"

I'm sorry to keep putting "presidential historian" in quotes, by the way. It just always seems to an odd job description, even though I understand the logic of it. History is too vast a field for any particular historian to attempt to encompass whole, and so specialization is inescapable, and I suppose that, especially for historians attached to the "great man" view of the subject, it seems reasonable to focus on presidents. I just can't ever help thinking that a calling that commits you to the study of, say, Franklin Pierce, Rutherford B. Hayes, and Calvin Coolidge is kind of a peculiar career choice. But then, who am I to talk about peculiar career choices?

I confess that I probably haven't read more than one or two of Doris KG's books, though probably a lot more articles, but she's always seemed pretty solid to me. I haven't kept up, but I assume she eventually finished that Lincoln book she seemed to be working on forever (working title: Yet Another Lincoln Book), and has moved on to Franklin Pierce, Rutherford B. Hayes, or Calvin Coolidge -- if not all three. (Presumably, the way it works is that the Presidential Historians Association, the industry trade group, serves as some sort of clearinghouse for divvying the available presidents up among its members, with the proviso that any fully-paid-up member can write a book about Washington or Lincoln, on the theory that somebody's got to keep those bookstore remainder tables overflowing.)

I'm not sure I've ever read anything by Michael Beschloss, but he seemed okay too. Only now he's fronting for (shudder) Donald Rumsfeld? I shudder to think how much he's being paid for his "facilitation." Even if by chance Michael B is doing this for nothing -- "pro bono," as it were -- it doesn't wash; what "good" can there be in helping a monster sell books? What our "presdential historian" is facilitating, of course, is the Rumster passing himself off as a respectable citizen, worthy of being listened to to the tune of those "hefty 2.6 pounds and 832 exciting pages," when he ought to have been shuffled off to the Hague for prosecution.

The title of the book, Known and Unknown, by the way, says Al, "echoes Rumsfeld's famous observations about 'known knowns' and 'unknown unknowns' and so on."

Unclear whether there will be questions from the audience, but you should have some ready. For example, you might ask what caused the Army chief of staff at the time, Gen. Eric Shinseki -- now secretary of veterans affairs -- to be so completely wrong when he said the United States would need a few hundred thousand troops in Iraq.

Rumsfeld might also explain how the prediction that the war would pay for itself was pretty much on target, or perhaps how the post-invasion Iraqi turmoil was just like Germany in 1945-47, or how those weapons of mass destruction may yet be found -- okay, maybe in Iran, but that's not all that far away and, after all, they are spelled similarly.

Say, if it turns out that "presidential historian" Michael Beschloss is too immersed in, say, the administration of Benjamin Harrison to fulfill his facilitating commitments, I'll bet our pal Al would make a jim-dandy facilitator. Here's his parting thought on the even:

Washington memoirs are famous for settling scores, so if you're lucky enough to get a seat, buy the book , go immediately to the index and look for Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice . . .

Not to be missed. Reservations can be made online at www.constitutioncenter.org.

The event again is next Wednesday, February 9, in the Grand Hall Overlook of the National Constitution Center in Independence Mall, Philadelphia. Don't forget that Valentine's Day is coming up. Wouldn't this make a sweetheart of a gift for the One You Love?


TOMORROW: AL HAS AN UPDATE ON FLYING ACE
"CRAZY JIM" INHOFE'S RUN-IN WITH THE FAA

Remember the story Al reported in October about Sen. "Crazy Jim" Inhofe's airport-landing misadventure? (I passed it on as Crazy Jim Inhofe flies planes???) In today's column, Al has an update, straight from the Crazyman's mouth. I tried to squeeze it in tacked on to the above item, but that didn't seem to me to do justice to either. So we'll pick up Crazy Jim's story tomorrow.

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