This (above) caught my ear. Hugh Hewitt’s conversation with Scott Lehigh, Boston Globe columnist, brought to light the habits of mind that help define what it means to live in a blue bubble. The bubble exists as an insular group of like-minded individuals in metropolitan centers – the “chattering classes” in the words of Auberon Waugh – who rarely have exposure to anyone outside their tightly-knit claque of people with the same mutually reinforcing opinions. It leans left and exudes arrogance, and tries to act as gatekeeper of “truth”.
Hewitt initiated the interview because he was rankled by Lehigh’s mischaracterization of a previous Hewitt statement about the January 6 Committee and invited Lehigh to explain. The interchange about the particulars of January 6 mattered less than Lehigh’s mode of thinking. The lack of detail and rigorous thought was clearly evident, probably a product of exclusive interaction with those of a similar mind. A person can get away with generalities and shallow thinking in this environment of no pushback. As such, the muscles of mental agility atrophy. It showed in the interview.
For example, Lehigh had trouble grasping the legal principle of due process, probably because he hadn’t confronted it in his social circle. Hewitt tried to pry out of him some recognition of the necessity of the idea in government procedures, but Lehigh was having none of it.
He kept falling back on what amounts to ends-justify-means. The simple idea that the congressional minority should have effective representation on a House committee escaped him. He even refused to accept the truth of the one-sided nature of Pelosi’s January 6 Committee and kept falling back on the vileness of Trump. In his mind, and probably in the mind of everyone around him, the ends of getting Trump justified trampling the rights of the other side in public proceedings. Hugh’s parallel of mutual representation for plaintiff and defendant in court proceedings was ignored by Lehigh without any explanation.
Similarly, the concept of legitimacy blew over his head. Legitimacy is a product of due process and has much to do with broad public acceptance of any findings. Violate the widely-accepted basics of fair play (due process) and watch rejection and turmoil intensify. Whatever “facts” are uncovered will be quickly dismissed. The possibility escaped Lehigh.
It was clear that Lehigh wasn’t prepared when he wrote his column and when he faced Hewitt. Running the column past someone who disagrees would work wonders, if such a person could be found in his regular circle of friends and acquaintances. My guess is that there are none.
Listen for yourself. The episode can be found here.
RogerG