While not as self-serious as this piece on culinary conservatives, Ackerman's point is still rather clever:
Call it overstatement, but you can fairly decently judge a think tank's influence by the quality of its lunch. Here I'm going to reveal an open secret in Washington. The best free lunch in town -- by far -- is at the neoconservative American Enterprise Institute. I remember a panel discussion on Iraq a couple years ago at which AEI wheeled out a massive amount of succulent, just-grilled chicken shwarma. Rice that had been seasoned. With almond slivers! The whole thing displayed a stunningly real Middle East expertise, or at least what a Washington Jew thinks passes for real Middle East expertise. And that is how you succeed in this town. Never mind that Dani Pletka and Michael Rubin and Michael Ledeen don't know what the fuck they're talking about.