The pen is mightier...

Joe Klein had some choice words for New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani. Kakutani wrote a rather scathing review of Bill Clinton’s memoir My Life(Knopf2004). The review appeared in Sunday’s Times on the front cover and has become news in itself. Klein’s feeling towards the review was that she was reaching too far for a ripping read and missed the point of the book.

“…I think she needs to find a day job for God’s sake, she has been reviewing for 40 years, I think there should be a statute of limitations for columnists and critics…”

Where does this animosity come from? Perhaps…the review of Klein’s book by Kakutani, The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton(Broadway Books2002), two years ago. Katutani had similar sentiment for Klein:

“The subtitle of Joe Klein's new book, "The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton," suggests that the author is going to give us a new take on the Clinton presidency, that he is going to correct what he sees as misapprehensions about that administration, or provide a new take on Bubba.

The truth of the matter is: he doesn't.”

Barbed words on both sides.