Posted on 05/26/2005 4:31:28 AM PDT by oldtimer2
PEGGY NOONAN
Mr. Narcissus Goes to Washington It's springtime, love is in the air, and 14 senators are gazing at the mirror.
Thursday, May 26, 2005 12:01 a.m.
You've heard the mindless braying and fruitless arguments, but I'm here to tell you the facts, no matter what brickbats and catcalls may come my way. Lindsey Graham defied the biases of his constituency to do what was right, not what was easy. Robert Byrd put aside personal gain to save our Republic. David Pryor ignored the counsels of hate to stand firm for our hopes and dreams. Mike DeWine protected our way of life. These men are uniters, not dividers. How do I know?
Because they told me. Again and again, and at great length, as they announced The Deal. And I believed them, because I am an idiot. Or as they might put it, your basic "folk" from "back home."
Listening to them I thought of some of the great and hallowed phrases of our Republic. "The rooster who thought he brought the dawn." "The only man who can strut sitting down."
I know they're centrists, but there is nothing moderate about their self-regard. And why should there be? I personally was dazzled by their refusal to bow to the counsels of common sense and proportion, and stirred that they had no fear of justified insult ("blowhard," "puffed up popinjay") as they moved forward in the halls of the United States Senate to bravely proclaim their excellence.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Graham said this is what he and DeWine would do yesterday on Tony Snow show.
She's described these pompous braying asses to a tee.
Bump.
I only wish more people would have seen this. To me this is all you need to know about John McCain.
I think everyone in politics now has been affected by the linguistic sleight-of-hand, which began with the Kennedys in the 1960s, in which politics is called "public service," and politicians are allowed and even urged to call themselves "public servants." Public servants are heroic and self-denying. Therefore politicians are heroic and self-denying. I think this thought has destabilized them.
People who charge into burning towers are heroic; nuns who work with the poorest of the poor are self-denying; people who volunteer their time to help our world and receive nothing in return but the knowledge they are doing good are in public service. Politicians are in politics. They are less self-denying than self-aggrandizing. They are given fame, respect, the best health care in the world; they pass laws governing your life and receive a million perks including a good salary, and someone else--faceless taxpayers, "the folks back home"--gets to pay for the whole thing. This isn't public service, it's more like public command. It's not terrible--democracies need people who commit politics; they have a place and a role to play--but it's not saintly, either.
Loved this part. For years it just irked me when politicians said they were doing a public service or called themselves public servants. Kind of like the Americore volunteers getting paid. Or college students doing forced volunteer work and thinking that is volunteering.
This whole mess may end up ok but it's only delaying the constitutional option and this band of 14 publicity seekers had not the right or authority to do this.
I hope you're right, but the opportunities for more mischief by the Dems and the RINOs are still huge.
Bottom line of this whole fight: Abortion, of course.
"The RATS will filibuster again. The Republicans will use the Constitutional Option, and it will work. At least 2 of the 14 deal-makers will vote for cloture. And I predict one of them will be Graham. Not out of any high morality or good sense, but this deal backs him into a corner and the folks back home are majority conservatives."
Didn't some of the Democrats say yesterday they would filibuster the nomination of Henry Saad and another nominee? Can you believe Graham said he would not invoke the Constitutional Option?!!
Once when former La. Gov. Edwin Edwards was debating an opponent, the opponent said, "The Governor talks out of both sides of his mouth." Edwards said, "Well, I have to talk out of both sides for my opponent to understand me because he has wind whistling between his ears." I think Graham has both these problems if he thinks we will not remember what he has done!
Yup. We'll see what happens but Graham yesterday declared publicly he and DeWine will use the constitutional option. He is on record.
She's good. I had forgotten how good, but this piece reminded me. And oh, my well it nails these fatheaded boobs who seem to think that the phony fame will somehow cover up their self-serving deception.
I don't care if she's old enough to be my Mom, she is a BABE!
Beautiful. So beautiful!
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