Like many others, I had some notes yesterday on the inaugural address. And, at Newsweek, a writer named Katie Paul took notice of those notes (along with others). She said that I had “ranted” about the speech’s “indirect slights to Bush.” She did not provide a link to those “rantings”: They are here.

Of course, she is under no obligation to provide such a link. It’s just that, not to do so is a little . . . unsporting, let’s say. And some of her readers might have liked the chance to evaluate for themselves.

(Incidentally, why is it that those of us who are conservative are pretty much confined to conservative outlets — outlets that have a forthright ideological label — while those who lean left are free to work at big, establishment, “mainstream” outlets such as Newsweek? But that is an old, tiring — and tiresome — question.)

A friend asked me yesterday what I thought of the speech — must not be a regular Corner reader! — and I said that I’d found it graceless and offensive, certainly in parts. He said, “You mean the parts about hope and virtue?” Funnily enough, that is not what I meant.

I meant the repeated digs at Bush, his team, and those of us who supported that administration. Obama said, We’re going to stop sacrificing our ideals on the altar of security. We’re going to stop ignoring science, or “the science,” as people say. At long last, we’re going to lead the world in pursuit of peace and dignity. At long last, we’re going to stop ignoring the suffering outside our own borders.

And so on. This was the most absurd and clueless stuff — as though the speaker had been asleep for the last many years.

I received a lot of mail on this subject, and wanted to share one letter with you, because it speaks for many:

Jay,
I am relieved that someone felt as insulted and disappointed by that speech as I did. On election night, my wife and I were deeply moved by the beauty, grace, and class of Obama’s words. We voted for McCain — but we were optimistic after that night.
But all of that goodwill was ruined in a matter of minutes today. I was insulted by Obama’s cheap, unfair shots at President Bush. It was as though he gave a standard stump speech — a speech for October 20, rather than January 20. Mostly, my wife and I were just saddened, our high hopes dashed.
Bush is often accused of “squandering goodwill” after September 11, but at least he was being forceful with our enemies. What was Obama doing?
So very, very disappointing.

Speaking quite personally, I have never been an Obama-hater. I have never been much of an Obama disliker! He has never aroused the same antipathy in me that Al Gore, for example, has (or John Kerry). And the reason is: He has never displayed all that much antipathy himself. He does not seem to harbor much hate in him.

But I found myself quite disliking Obama yesterday, and this had little to do with politics and policies. I thought that many of his words were distinctly inappropriate for an inaugural address — anybody’s.

One more thing: At the top of her article yesterday, Newsweek’s Paul said, “. . . enough with the cheering already, D.C. It’s been hours. Time for a new take. We want to know what conservatives think of the speech. Out, damn hope! Bring on the haters!”

Actually, we are not without hope, and we are not haters — certainly I am not. It’s just that, now and then, we’ll have critical words to say about the One. We will dissent from the Leader and the Party.

And dissent is the highest form of patriotism — right, Katie? Or is that much-loved bumper sticker of the last eight years wrong?