ALL-TIME WINGNUTTIEST BLOG POST CONTEST….While the rest of the blogosphere concerns itself with the worthy task of choosing the all-time best blog posts, I’m keeping my focus where it belongs: on the all-time worst blog posts. And thanks to help from my commenters, plus commenters over at FDL and John Cole’s place, we now have an official list of nominees.
A note on methodology: Several prose stylings that seem like they ought to be on the ballot missed out because intensive research by the PA staff determined that they weren’t actually blog posts. “Objectively pro-terrorist” deserves recognition, for example, but it came from a Michael Kelly column, not a blog post. Ditto for “The decadent Left in its enclaves on the coasts is not dead — and may well mount a fifth column,” which Andrew Sullivan wrote for the Sunday Times, not his blog. Or John Derbyshire’s musings on women over the age of 20. And “Lucky Duckies” was a Wall Street Journal editorial. Since this contest is all about blog wingnuttery, these contenders were sadly but firmly disqualified.
But why focus on the all-time worst in the wingnut blogosphere anyway? Isn’t that mean? What’s driving this besides sheer bloody-mindedness?
History, that’s what. A century from now, even the very best blog posts will be long forgotten. Let’s face it: they aren’t that good. But bad blog posts will still be every bit as bad as they were on the day they were spawned. They’ll endure. So really, we’re doing this for the children. And the grandchildren.
The fourteen finalists for the worst, most embarrassing, most risible wingnut blog posts of all time are listed below. You can vote for up to five. So take a trip down memory lane and then vote for your favorites. Remember: It’s your civic duty.
UPDATE: Voting is now finished. Thanks to one and all. The final five winners are announced here.