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'I Hope She Drowns'- The implosion of the Democratic Party
Opinion Journal Wall Street Journal ^ | 2/2/06 | PEGGY NOONAN

Posted on 02/02/2006 6:11:22 AM PST by areafiftyone

The president's State of the Union Address will be little noted and not long remembered. There was a sense that he was talking at, not to, the country. He asserted more than he persuaded, and he chose to redeclare his beliefs rather than argue for them in any depth. If you believe, as he does, that the No. 1 priority for the American government at this point in history is to lead an international movement for political democracy, and if you believe, as he truly seems to, that political democracy is in and of itself a certain bringer of world-wide peace, than this speech was for you. If not, not. It went through a reported 30 drafts, was touched by many hands, and seemed it. Not precisely a pudding without a theme, but a thin porridge.

It was the first State of the Union Mr. Bush has given in which Congress seemed utterly pre-9/11 in terms of battle lines drawn. Exactly half the chamber repeatedly leapt to its feet to applaud this banality or that. The other half remained resolutely glued to its widely cushioned seats. It seemed a metaphor for the Democratic Party: We don't know where to stand or what to stand for, and in fact we're not good at standing for anything anyway, but at least we know we can't stand Republicans.

There was only one unforgettable moment, and that was in a cutaway shot, of Hillary Clinton, who simply must do something about her face. When the president joked that two people his father loves are turning 60 this year, himself and Bill Clinton--why does he think constant references to that relationship work for him?--it was Mrs. Clinton's job to look mildly amused, or pleasant, or relatively friendly, or nonhostile.

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; botfest2006; bush43; noonan; sotu
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Comment #181 Removed by Moderator

To: ohioWfan

just think the War in Iraq is going well and you aren't a true conservative according to him.

But then again, isn't claiming to be a "true conservative" the same as talking about taking pride in telling people how often you go to church???


182 posted on 02/02/2006 10:09:02 AM PST by MikefromOhio (Tread's #1 priority - getting you to read HIS trash. His second? Reread the first.)
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To: areafiftyone

I like Peggy. I think though she's overly concerned with style when it comes to presidential speeches.


183 posted on 02/02/2006 10:10:15 AM PST by Tribune7
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To: areafiftyone

Kind of harsh regarding Peggy. She's a talented writer even though I do not always agree with her point of view. I thought the main thrust of the article was the implosion of the Democratic Party. Also, I think W was just being polite when he referred to Clinton. Do we have to be zinging each other all the time? Who's got the energy?

PS As a 55 year old male I think Peggy's still "hot." So there -).


184 posted on 02/02/2006 10:13:09 AM PST by milltech
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To: Warren_Piece

I remember cringing when I felt that tone coming out of her writing.

#####

And the funny (sad) thing about Noonan's Elitism - she comes from a very traditional middle middle class background. She has risen to her Elite (in her own mind) status, and forgets her origins.


185 posted on 02/02/2006 10:16:05 AM PST by maica (We are fighting the War for the Free World. Democrats and the media are not on our side.)
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To: SusaninOhio; All
Does anyone remember in The Sound of Music when the children play terrible tricks on Maria and treat her badly? What does she do.....at dinner that night she tells her father how "wonderful the children have been and how welcome they have made her feel"! It makes them realize just how awful they were and they all start crying and leave the table sobbing!! To me, that's just what Bush does.

I think Bush does that to people that have stabbed him in the back....saying publicly how great they have been and praying that they will change.

186 posted on 02/02/2006 10:17:54 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience. T)
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To: ReaganRevolution

What WILL be remembered is the Democrats actions and how AWFUL they acted!!


187 posted on 02/02/2006 10:19:16 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience. T)
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To: MikeinIraq
But then again, isn't claiming to be a "true conservative" the same as talking about taking pride in telling people how often you go to church???

Hmmmmm........good point. Bragging incessantly about one's conservative credentials in order to belittle others smacks of the same kind of hypocrisy.

188 posted on 02/02/2006 10:21:00 AM PST by ohioWfan (PROUD Mom of an Iraq War VET! THANKS, son!!!!)
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To: riverdawg

From her Senate website: ----


CLINTON, Hillary Rodham, (1947 - )
Senate Years of Service: 2001-
Party: Democrat


CLINTON, Hillary Rodham, (wife of President William Jefferson Clinton), a Senator from New York; born on October 26, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois; attended public school in Park Ridge, Illinois; graduated Wellesley College, BA 1969; graduated Yale Law School, JD 1973; attorney; counsel, impeachment inquiry staff, House Judiciary Committee 1974; First Lady of Arkansas 1983-1993; First Lady of the United States 1993-2001; elected to the United States Senate for term ending January 3, 2007.


189 posted on 02/02/2006 10:21:16 AM PST by maica (We are fighting the War for the Free World. Democrats and the media are not on our side.)
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To: Ann Archy
I think Bush does that to people that have stabbed him in the back....saying publicly how great they have been and praying that they will change.

I think you're right.

190 posted on 02/02/2006 10:21:47 AM PST by Howlin (Why don't you just report the news, instead of what might be the news? - Donald Rumsfeld 1/25/2006)
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To: bannie
Mrs. Clinton has two natural looks, the first being a dull and sated cynicism, the second the bright-eyed throaty chuckler who greets visiting rubes from Utica.

I like that paragraph, too. "Dull and sated cynicism" captures that snooty look from Hillary perfectly.

191 posted on 02/02/2006 10:23:20 AM PST by Yardstick
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To: ohioWfan
How exactly do you define the prefix, 'neo?'

Not agreeing with them???

192 posted on 02/02/2006 10:25:25 AM PST by Howlin (Why don't you just report the news, instead of what might be the news? - Donald Rumsfeld 1/25/2006)
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To: ohioWfan

yep and you can see that with every post, Tread MUST throw around how he is a "TRUE" conservative.


193 posted on 02/02/2006 10:30:15 AM PST by MikefromOhio (Tread's #1 priority - getting you to read HIS trash. His second? Reread the first.)
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To: Dont_Tread_On_Me_888
I have no "disdain for the President".

*Snort*

You and your type believe that cheering all things Republican is somehow good for the nation...

Don't like it? Elect somebody of YOUR chosing.

You and your type are doing just as much damage to this country as any liberal I've ever seen; your constant negativism and out and out contortion of facts makes you not one bit better than Cindy Sheehan and the rest of the liars.

194 posted on 02/02/2006 10:32:17 AM PST by Howlin (Why don't you just report the news, instead of what might be the news? - Donald Rumsfeld 1/25/2006)
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To: ohioWfan

You're the TYPE that can actually get people elected to positions where they CAN make a difference in the future of this country.

You know, THAT type.


195 posted on 02/02/2006 10:33:23 AM PST by Howlin (Why don't you just report the news, instead of what might be the news? - Donald Rumsfeld 1/25/2006)
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To: MikeinIraq; ohioWfan
But then again, isn't claiming to be a "true conservative" the same as talking about taking pride in telling people how often you go to church???

My grandmother use to say if you have to TELL people who you ARE, you probably AREN'T.

196 posted on 02/02/2006 10:35:12 AM PST by Howlin (Why don't you just report the news, instead of what might be the news? - Donald Rumsfeld 1/25/2006)
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To: F16Fighter
The No. 1 priority for the American government is to maintain security, liberty and opportunity for it's own citizenry and interests -- always has been.

Spreading democracy is the best way to ensure this.

197 posted on 02/02/2006 10:35:25 AM PST by frgoff
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To: ReaganRevolution
My guess is, she did not get a gig gin and tonic at the White House at a time when she wanted one.
198 posted on 02/02/2006 10:36:04 AM PST by Tokra (I think I'll retire to Bedlam.)
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To: ohioWfan

The speech was great.........strong, bold, in your face at the Dems.

####
Peggy reminds me of an English teacher who can't see past the form of the assignment to the impact of the student's work.

President Bush (and his speech-writing staff) know how to put concepts into language that he is comfortable using, and that will have a desired effect on its audience. Knowing that the Dems wanted to be demonstrative, he gave them red meat. Every reaction by them will be useful in future negotiations and campaign ads.


199 posted on 02/02/2006 10:40:53 AM PST by maica (We are fighting the War for the Free World. Democrats and the media are not on our side.)
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To: areafiftyone
"world-wide peace, than this speech was for you. If not, not. It went through a reported 30 drafts, was touched by many hands, and seemed it."

uh, Peggy? It would be "then" as in "then this speech was for you". How many hands touched YOUR rant? eesh. "and seemed it"? Just plain bad writing IMHO, all Bush bashing aside.

200 posted on 02/02/2006 10:44:20 AM PST by Hi Heels (Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty)
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