Dennis Miller on Ward Churchill

Unfortunately he was on Bill O'Reilly. Quote:

Well, I am very happy that the tenured Tonto has been sent on his way. And all I can say to the University of Colorado is can you guys get a dental plan out there for your professors, for God
sakes. . . .

Now he's going to say that it has something to do with the fact that he referred to the 9/11 people as little Eichmanns. But the fact is this is about plagiarism. This guy's Indian name is Dances with Facts. And it was about time that he went. . . .

He's like a mid-life loser in some George Harrison [sic] sunglasses from Route 66 trying to be cool in front of the kids. But we get it; he's a loser.

Not great, but still.

The transcript has a "watch the segment" button, but apparently it's not up yet. Maybe his delivery makes it funnier.

Update II: Nope. And he says "George Maharis sunglasses," not "George Harrison sunglasses."

Update: Marty Peretz on Ward in The New Republic (which is having some credibility problems of its own at the moment:

I don't suppose that many TNR readers are big fans of Ward Churchill. But surely there are some. (A few of them wait for me to post a Spine and then pounce.) And I bet that there are also some who simply haven't heard of him. They are the better off for that.

Still, he is a figure in the culture, an ugly and pathetic figure. And was, until last week, a professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado. . . .

And now that he has been fired from his tenured professorship. It is not this specially disgusting remark that provoked the revocation of his professorial permanency. But when a tenured member of the faculty is dismissed everybody somehow gets the willies.

As it happens, Ward Churchill is a scholarly faker, not just like many others in the "ethnic studies" racket but in a way especially offensive even to the minimal standards of that sloppy field. In any case, the president of the university, former
governor Hank Brown has explained "Why I Fired Professor Churchill" in this morning's Wall Street Journal, a persuasive explanation.

Update: The Silver & Gold Record has its account of the firing (via mind your P's and B's)