Blogging or begging

I generally don't read much Andrew Sullivan because I can usually count on Ben (or a few other sites) to offer a nice rebuttal before Sullivan's argument has even hit the floor. [See what I just did? I just cut out the infuriating middleman.] But after today's post on TPI I decided to look around AndrewSullivan.com. Never again.

Now I make no bones about the fact that blogging is, at best, the digital equivalent of smoking with your friends in the high-school bathroom during 4th period French. At its worst, blogging is begging with better front end presentation. I know this is snarky, but for reals Andrew?

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For a man of such accomplishments--among them presiding over the publication of the "controversial essay that was widely credited with helping to torpedo the Clinton administration's plans for universal health coverage" [Gee, thanks Andy!]--it sure seems beneath him to beg for money; and what for those that give? Andrew's Private Weekly Newsletter. Ain't that Teen Beat! Yes, this blogging as begging phenomena is more widespread than just AndrewSullivan.com. Indeed, Atrios and many other top-tier lefty blogs run fundraising pleas but Andrew Sullivan's tone and content is so uniquely self-aggrandizing that I can't help but giggle at the sentence: "Reader contributions are still our most important source of income."

I'm guessing when he sings karaoke his song is "Ain't Too Proud To Beg." Me, when I need money to go sing karaoke with Margaret Cho, I go to work. And, if I were in a position to write for a living, I'd still give the blogged shit away for free. As for Atrios, I don't understand the whole secret identity thing but I guess Andrew's got his conservative-homosexuality and Atrios has his Batman complex. I, on the other hand, have nothing but my Post-It drawings...and whatever money you choose to send me.