His Own Worst Critic

The Washington Post ^ | 3/31/2004 | George F. Will

[kellynla]

So," Lincoln supposedly said to the White House visitor, "you're the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war." Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin," published in 1852, quickly sold 300,000 copies -- equivalent to 3 million today -- and remains the only book to become an American history-shaping political event.

When the dust settles from the eight days that shook the world of Washington -- spanning Richard Clarke's appearance two Sundays ago on "60 Minutes" to his appearance last Sunday on "Meet the Press" -- no one will say of his "Against All Enemies" what Longfellow said of Stowe's novel: "Never was there such a literary coup de main as this." Too much of the controversy about Clarke's book -- and testimony and interviews -- concerns adjectives.

[kellynla]

Will knocks another one over the fence against the incredulous Clarke

[GraceCoolidge]

The Washington Post style section a day or so ago had a surprisingly snide piece about Clarke's book. Part of the essay was a description of Clarke's ludicrous overstatement of his role... how he portrays himself as saving the nation by setting up a "secure teleconference," how he went home to get his gun to wear to the deserted White House, etc. The part of the piece that sticks in my mind was a pretty clever and appropriate reference to Clarke's portrayal of himself as an "alpha bureaucrat." I was surprised to read it in the Post...and I think the phrase "alpha bureaucrat" summed up Clarke pretty accurately.

[calcowgirl]

Good commentary from Will...
but I always have to open the dictionary.
puerile? meretriciousness?
I definitely need to improve my vocabulary! lol.

BTW, the LA Times is still showing full support for Clarke (surprise, surprise)

[Rodney King]

how he went home to get his gun to wear to the deserted White House, etc

Didn't know that. I wonder if he violated the DC gun laws?

[kellynla]

Clarke's mouth has been his own worst enemy.
He is living proof that a defendant should never testify.

Semper Fi,
Kelly

Viet Nam Veterans Against John Kerry
http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnkerry.com

[GraceCoolidge]

I am not sure, he claims the gun was issued to him by the Secret Service, so I suppose not. Here's the passage:

Despite his procedural virtuosity, no one could call Clarke a pencil-pusher. No, he's pistol-packing. He writes that, late on the night of the attacks, "I had to get back to the White House and begin planning to prevent follow-on attacks. I found my Secret Service-issued .357 sidearm, thrust it in my belt, and went back out into the night, back to the West Wing."

Richard Clarke: The alpha-bureaucrat.

The article is titled "The Wonk that Roared." It's available on the Post website....

[freedomcrusader]

I don't like newspapers that used to give away their stuff for free that now make you register.

Whatever happened to the "billclinton"/"isaliar" user/password?

[kellynla]

"Whatever happened to the "billclinton"/"isaliar" user/password?"

I couldn't tell ya...
I register with bogus info. LOL

[MEG33]

Great column and one we would do well to remember.

[connectthedots]

Good commentary from Will... but I always have to open the dictionary. puerile? meretriciousness?

You illiterate. (just kidding) ;)

[MEG33]

Dictionary .com has both dictionary and a thesaurus.

[CyberAnt]

That's one of my major complaints.

How do they expect to get their message out to the public if they use words many people have never heard of. That's why people love President Bush - he's "plain speaking". You know exactly what he means, and there are no big and fancy words which hinder his meaning.

After years of democrat public instruction, the love of literature, writing, etc. have all but been forgotten. They don't even teach children how to print or write, no grammar or punctuation.

When people use high-falutin' words - it's to impress somebody - but the people who they could be reaching can't understand what they're saying and give up in disgust.

I expect Kerry to slip up in this area. Trying to show how smart and superior he is, and he will end up outsmarting himself.

[D-fendr]

…make you register.

You can read all of Will's columns here without registering and without giving the Washington Post website a hit.

[calcowgirl]

Dictionary .com has both dictionary and a thesaurus.

I have about 20 different dictionary links in my favorites, lol.
m-w.com (merriam webster) is my standard.
The reference material on Bartleby.com is also a great resource.

[MEG33]

Thanks!