That is the problem with Taibibi, right? He "fights". He uses "jokes" to imply and push not exactly true statements. Mostly to insult opponents. Not really to engage or argue, just fight.
He has sometimes good arguments. But plenty of times he does not, so he goes for second best thing to fight whoever he sees as opponenent.
For all his sins Mark Taibbi (not Taibibi) has expressed his views in several books and lots of articles, I doubt all 6 books are nothing but insults.
Look, the truth is there a big gap opened between center-leftists, people who like Hilary, Biden,BWS and all the mainstream democrats, and more progressive inquisitive , hardcore leftist branch like Taibbi or Rania Khalek who wont give a pass to the democrats just because they are "on their team". Like the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks of the Russian Revolution these 2 groups hate each other more vehemently than any right wing side, because they consider the other as traitors. A split is inevitable.
All the rest huff and puff is just a front for this fundamental issue.
I am not taking issue with his general ideological position. I am taking issue with his general style. Also, I am not taking issue with him not givig break to some people.
He is not equal opportunity hit everyone kind of writer. He has friends and ennemies, gives massive benefit of doubt to ones and "attack" others. That would not be unusual, but it ridiculous to then frame him as fair one.
I stopped reading him when I realized the jokes and insults based on made up things or insinuations that someone is ugly and general crap are more memorablable then his actual arguments. He is dismissive in funny way, but he is dismissing straw man all too often or just not actually having any argument beyond insult.
He has sometimes good arguments. But plenty of times he does not, so he goes for second best thing to fight whoever he sees as opponenent.