Michael Beschloss bills himself as a “presidential historian.” Indeed, he’s written several fine books about the American presidency and its challenges.
But as David Strom at Hot Air points out, Beschloss is more of a “history populizer.” That is to say, he eschews the more scholarly approach to writing history in favor of the narrative approach, adding interesting fact flakes and historical tidbits to liven up the copy.
As David notes, there’s nothing wrong with this. But somewhere along the way, Beschloss realized that a more partisan approach to his commentary would net him more fame and fortune than he could have ever imagined writing about long-dead white guys.
So Beschloss became a reliable hysteric on the network where hysterics congregate. Somehow, Beschloss wangled the designation “MSNBC Presidential Historian” to give him a patina of authority and the absolute freedom to use his history creds to trash Republicans.
Lately, though — like most leftists — Beschloss has sort of lost it. I mean, in his bid to top his “over-the-top” colleagues on MSNBC, he entered the fever swamps of fantasy and conspiracy.
“We could be six days away from losing our rule of law,” the historian declared.
Beschloss compared Biden to Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt as he continued to build to his crescendo, in which he argued that in just six days, America could see the beginning of the end of it all.
“A historian 50 years from now, if historians are allowed to write in this country and if there are still free publishing houses and a free press, which I’m not certain of,” he said. “But if that is true, a historian will say, what was at stake tonight and this week was the fact whether we will be a democracy in the future, whether our children will be arrested and conceivably killed.”
“We’re on the edge of a brutal authoritarian system, and it could be a week away,” he said, adding:
“Cats and dogs, living together, MASS HYSTERIA!”
His comment about historians 50 years from now is telling. Who is it that’s tearing down statues, erasing history they disagree with, and penalizing historians who dare challenge liberal orthodoxy?
MSNBC historian says if you vote for Republicans your kids will be murdered and democracy will die. Watch this insanity: pic.twitter.com/RmMpTGsSTU
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 3, 2022
Jonathan Turley comments on the madness.
So much for gas prices. The choice is now voting Democratic or lining up your children in front of a firing squad. (Strangely, it will only be our children and not adults targeted by the roaming GOP goon squads). However, it will all be “off-the-books.” After all, Beschloss warned Hayes, “we both write history, you and I” and he is not certain that “historians [will be] allowed to write in this country” if Republicans gain a majority in Congress.
In other words, there may be no history books, no living children, and no democracy, but feel free to vote your pocketbook, America.
At the same time, Democrats and the J6 Committee are pursuing those who engaged in similar inflammatory rhetoric leading up to the January 6th riot. The airways are also now filled with warnings from leaders such as Hillary Clinton that the midterm elections are about to be “stolen.” Likewise, many are campaigning to ban books by figures like Justice Barrett in the name of protecting free speech.
Biden and the Democrats are coming out and saying in plain English that there are no choices in this election; if you don’t vote Democratic, you die, or you lose your freedom. If it was just “politics,” we could all sit around and laugh about it over some good brandy and fine Cuban cigars after the election. But these people are dead serious.
It’s the most dangerous and destructive thing I’ve seen in observing and writing about politics in 50 years. And I fear the aftermath if both sides claim “fraud” and take their arguments about the election to the streets.
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