Jeffrey Feldman, Alternet

“The emergence of a cohort of right-wing pundits who use
violent logic, language and arguments in national political debate did not
gradually take shape over a long stretch of time, but rose up at a starling
speed in the lead-up to the national elections of 2004 and 2006. As the
horrific extent of the Iraqi military occupation waxed and George W. Bush's
popularity waned, a hitherto sarcastic right-wing punditry seemed all at once
to step into a new rhetorical frame. Suddenly, with Bush's re-election in
doubt, casualties spiraling out of control, and revelations of U.S. military
human rights abuses popping up all over, right-wing pundits shifted their tone
from critique to conspiracy. The shift is summed up best by the opening line in
Dinesh D'Souza's book The Enemy at Home: ‘The cultural left in this
country is responsible for causing 9/11.’"