Posted on 03/02/2005 8:56:30 AM PST by pissant
We hardly ever watch Comedy Central's "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," but our TV happened to be tuned to it last night when erstwhile Clinton aide Nancy Soderberg, author of "The Superpower Myth: The Use and Misuse of American Might" (foreword by Bill Clinton, blurb by Madeleine Albright) came on. We're not sure what possessed us to turn on the sound and watch, but we're glad we did, for it was a fascinating interview. Here's a TiVo-assisted transcript of most of it:
Stewart: This book--it talks about the superpower myth of the United States. There is this idea, the United States is the sole superpower, and I guess the premise of the book is we cannot misuse that power--have to use it wisely, and not just punitively. Is that--
Soderberg: That's right. What I argue is that the Bush administration fell hostage to the superpower myth, believing that because we're the most powerful nation on earth, we were all-powerful, could bend the world to our will and not have to worry about the rest of the world. I think what they're finding in the second term is, it's a little bit harder than that, and reality has an annoying way of intruding.
Stewart: But what do you make of--here's my dilemma, if you will. I don't care for the way these guys conduct themselves--and this is just you and I talking, no cameras here [audience laughter]. But boy, when you see the Lebanese take to the streets and all that, and you go, "Oh my God, this is working," and I begin to wonder, is it--is the way that they handled it really--it's sort of like, "Uh, OK, my daddy hits me, but look how tough I'm getting." You know what I mean? ....
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Well even an alcholic sobers up sometime.
What I argue is that the Bush administration fell hostage to the superpower myth, believing that because we're the most powerful nation on earth, we were all-powerful, could bend the world to our will and not have to worry about the rest of the world.
So her book is built on the premise that Bush believes that our country is all-powerful.
An idiotic initial assumption leads inevitably to a pointless and idiotic conclusion.
Jon Steward has been host of the Daily Show since before the 2000 election, but last fall you'd think he was a fresh, newly discovered talent.
I guess we won't hear much of him again until 2008.
What a bozo. Free elections means that people can decide for themselves. None of this "bend the world to our will" garbage.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon ... the Left really hates to see freedom move forward. They really think Bush is bad for helping it progress.
The entire online article is well worth the read.
"Stuck in the back in the discount rack like another can of beans."
I agree - some of the statements that Soderberg makes are just the most vile anti-American vitriol. Hoping that Iran and North Korea prove too difficult for Bush to handle? Obscene.
It must be painful to be completely on the wrong side of history and then to slowly realize it.
Stewart is an admitted liberal democrat who will begrudgingly concede that amazing world events are taking place under the Bush administration. I give him props for his candor.
It was interesting to watch Soderberg squirm as Stewart alluded to the fact that current events in the Middle East pretty much demolished the premise of her book.
I like Jon Stewart. He is an honest liberal. I watch The Daily Show every morning before work and rarely does a half hour pass where I am not in stitches during at least one joke.
Ugly hearted, hatefilled anti American.
They interviewed one of the Iraqis who came over to have his hand replaced and he told the interviewer that he has never seen such hard working people, and people who are so happy working!
MSNBC uses Soderburg as one of their experts on a variety of topics and I have noted before her propensity to undermine the Bush administration (no surprise, as I knew her background).
Good for Stewart to even question his presumptions and to be aware of what is going on in Lebanon.
Soderburg dismissed it as not related to Iraq and pointedly ignores the Inaugural Speech (speaking of which, anyone heard from Peggy Noonan lately about her "Bush over-reached" critique?).
Yes, I think Jon Stewart "gets it." He may be late to the party, but he has arrived.
Congressman Billybob
Soderberg: There's always hope that this might not work.Watch out, Nancy, your slip is showing...
...
Soderberg: There's always hope that this might not work.
Wow.
Even considering it was a comedy talk show, I can't imagine joking that there's "hope" this won't work. I know the dems really feel that way, but to actually say it. Sloppy, Nancy. Very sloppy. But very good to have it on the record.
"..(speaking of which, anyone heard from Peggy Noonan lately about her "Bush over-reached" critique?)".
________________________________________
Peggy should crawl under the bed and hide.
Democrats are the masters of hindsight, because they have their heads up their asses.
Did I read this wrong or is this idiot woman actually rooting for bad things to happen, simply to embarrass the Bush administration?
no, you read it right. She's just repeating John Kerry's platform.
Sounds like Soderberg's book is pure ignorance, 9-10 Klinton-era stupidity that directly led to the attack on 9-11.
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