They'd be insulted by the idea. You can't conceive of Brookings putting out a volume of self-serving bluster like the Edwards book. In fact, Brookings did commission a history for its 75 th anniversary in 1991. It was serious, critical, and self-questioning in a way that is totally alien to the Heritage Foundation. Though Democrats have become better in recent years at suppressing their differences in favor of their common interests, they still shy away instinctually from a united front of the kind that Heritage is.
Liberals say they want to learn from the most successful organization on the right.
But in reality, they're more comfortable, and probably better off, wishing the Heritage Foundation a happy birthday and admiring it from afar. Jacob Weisberg is Slate 's chief political correspondent. Illustrations by Peter Kuper. All rights reserved.