Garrison Keillor is an Idiot

So I read his commentary in the Chicago Tribune, and this statement is dumb on many, many levels:

There is much evidence that teaching phonics really works, especially with kids with learning disabilities, a growing constituency. But because phonics is associated with behaviorism and with conservatives, and because the Current Occupant has spoken on the subject, my fellow liberals are opposed.

Really, Garrison? Show me any Democratic platform that rails explicitly against the teaching of phonics. Show me any speech by any elected Democrat where they've stood tall and said, "Because George Bush likes phonics, we don't! Nyah!"

And Garrison, friend: the reading wars are over. Phonics and whole language both have their place in the classroom, and in most schools that's what you're seeing. Whole language still has its rabbis (Regie Routman being one of the most prominent), but any teacher will tell you that phonics has more than earned its place at the table. Why else would all those Lake Wobegon kids be above average? It's good phonics instruction, natch.

(via the Education Gadfly)