Camelot (Mark Steyn on the Musical and the Making of the Myth)

Steyn Online ^ | 11/17/2013 | Mark Steyn

[Dilbert San Diego]

It’s interesting to note that, the business of “Camelot” in the Kennedy White House was only discussed after his death.

Nobody said at JFK’s inauguration that the Camelot era was here, or anything of that nature. It was all after JFK was killed that this myth of Camelot grew up around the Kennedy administration.

And, perhaps the nation was very accepting of hearing about Camelot in the aftermath of the assassination. All of us were distraught at the killing of the president. Some events transcend political differences, and assassination is one such event.

[Slings and Arrows]

Steyn ping.

[driftless2]

Whatever the merits or demerits of Jack and Bobby, the Kennedys live on in the myth of heroic Dem, lib politicians. But the curious thing is that neither Kennedy was a typical modern lib except in the boink every female in sight m.o. of Jack Kennedy. Libs love the idea of a hero politician who saves the electorate and leads the righteous to heaven on earth. (Who do we know now they they’re trying to deify?)That’s why for many years I read accounts of how JFK called big business leaders b.....ds, but rarely or never the one about him lowering taxes.

[Albion Wilde]

What about "Bridge Over Troubled Water"?

LOL; but that song wasn't in the score of Camelot, which is what Steyn was using to make his point.

[JLS]

Mark Steyn ping.

Freepmail me, if you want on or off the Mark Steyn ping list.

Thanks for the ping Slings and Arrows.

[Safetgiver]

Obamajesus Christ Superstar” had been playing for the past 5 - 6 years....I thought that was Camel Shiite- A LOT.

[combat_boots]

"For not only did the Camelot reading of heroic public service cut liberalism off from its once-vigorous nationalist impulses but, if one accepted the image of a utopian Kennedy Camelot—and many did—then the best times were now in the past and would not soon be recovered... Such thinking drew into question the no less canonical liberal assumption of steady historical progress, and compromised the liberal faith in the future."

[MV=PY]

LOL!

Post o’ the day.

[Nepeta]

I once saw an unfortunate production of "Camelot" in which the knights rode onto the stage riding stick horses. The audience broke out into nervous giggling at the absurdity of the sight.

[88keys]

THANKS for ping/post...Steyn’s always outstanding! and very interesting background info. and “plot development” on “Camelot, the musical” vs. “Camelot, the Presidency”...almost seems like they have both been vastly overrated?!

[88keys]

STICK horses?!?

How dreadful, and love your description of the event...I had to giggle (not nervously!) at THAT, LOL!!

[Nepeta]

How dreadful, and love your description of the event...I had to giggle (not nervously!) at THAT, LOL!!

Yes, stick horses. This was a production by a local college, not a local elementary school. What they could have been thinking I do not know. I had seen other productions there that were not howl-worthy.

[supremedoctrine]

If you haven’t read it already read Roger Stone’s new book on LBJ, “The Man Who Killed Kennedy”. he makes a very persuasive case of Lbj’s complicity/involvement in the assassination.It does have lots of material I’ve read before, but also lot’s I haven’t.Regrettably, he was on HANNITY 2 nights ago, and Hannity just looked like he didn’t wanna be there. Plus, the interview seemed to last all of 90 seconds!

[Vigilanteman]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I was a young boy when LBJ became president and, to this day, I cannot explain why he made my skin crawl.

Among my Native American ancestors, this was considered a gift sometimes bestowed on small children to root out deceivers. Many tribes of the Plains and Rocky Mountains have this tradition.

I cannot say for sure that I had this gift, but I do not dismiss the possibility either.