Of Horowitz, Fishes And Barrels

Warning: This post contains cursing, but we're only quoting David Horowitz, so we feel our mouths are not so fouled - at least not as fouled as his.

One of the pleasures of being a sporadic Horowitz watcher is when you get to point out when the blustering in which he engages in an attempt at scathing wit backfires on him. Take for instance this email exchange with the proprieter of Mixing Memory. In a response to one rather sensible suggestion, Horowitz instructs his recipient, "Don't be an asshole."

I know I've referred to his (thoroughly witless) speech at the Commonwealth Club before, but it just provides so much tasty fodder (because it's such quintessential Horowitz) that it's too good to pass up. If one listens to the audio of his speech (I wouldn't suggest one do it unless one enjoys the sound of a cat being tortured, but the people who transcribed the speech edited out many of his asides thus leaving the text appearing much more dreary - if more sensical - than the speech as delivered) one will find him complaining that "this is the problem with liberals! No manners!" Some people in the audience had the audacity to interrupt and walk out on him. My question is, when did Miss Manners approve of the use of the word "asshole" in polite conversation?