Posted on 10/13/2008 10:18:05 AM PDT by andrew roman
To misspeak is one thing. It’s fairly common among homosapiens who communicate through spoken language. (If I had a gun to my head and had to guess whether or not Barack Obama really believes there are fifty-seven states in America, I’d bet against it). However, to speak without substance or lucidity, devoid of forbearance of thought – and to be admired for it - is quite another.
It is astonishing to me (and it shouldn’t be) how often Democrats – almost always portrayed as the most astute, most intellectual members of the political gamut - have to “clarify” and “amend” the things they say.
Perhaps it appears that way because they are afforded far more column space and air time to explain away gaffes, blunders and unqualified stupidity than Republicans are. Or maybe they just say more dim-witted things. (We may be getting warmer). Indeed, a liberal may conclude that the brightest among us are also the most complex of notion, easily misunderstood by the common folk and therefore requiring more time to elucidate their ideas for the masses – in other words, too smart for the room.
These “clarifying” Democrats actually come in two basic categories – empty and loony. The “empty” group is the one inclusive of those perceived to be the cerebral heavyweights of the party by the salivating porch dogs of the media and academia – all the while saying absolutely nothing. The “loony” group (which may include elements of the “empty” faction) is inclusive of those who primarily emote, say outrageous things and make completely no sense, yet are seen as crusaders and defenders of what’s right. (Yes, the two groups can overlap, and often do).
Take, for instance, the host of HBO’S Real Time, Bill Maher, whose September 6th column was suitably titled, “ Republicans, Stop Calling Obama Elitist - Because the real reason you don’t like him is that he’s smarter than you .” In it, he writes:
Barack Obama can’t help it if he’s a magna-cum-laude Harvard grad and you’re a Wal-Mart shopper who resurfaces driveways with your brother-in-law. Americans are so narcissistic that our candidates have to be just like us. That’s why George Bush is president.
Clearly, one of the “empty.”
But it’s not just the “I went-to-Harvard-so-I-am-obviously-superior-than-you” school of thought, mind you, that pervades the liberal mind. Democrats, besides being the brightest among us, also mean well, are the upholders of true compassion, and care far more about human beings than Republicans do.
They’ll tell you so – my favorite example of which comes from Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, who famously said on Meet The Press once that “Our moral values, in contradiction to the Republicans', is we don't think kids ought to go to bed hungry at night.” (Dean falls into both categories, but is a standard bearer for the “loony” contingent).
Remember, liberal bigotry fosters unity.
Any indignation or outrage emanating from the right over patently ridiculous or embarrassing comments made by Democrats will boil down to “misinterpretation.”
They’ll tell you so – like when Senator John Kerry (another brilliant Democratic academic from among the “empty,” if you recall) notoriously asserted that young people in America who don't study or get an education "get stuck in Iraq" – one of my all-time favorite “misunderstandings.” According to the leftocracy, Republicans “got it all wrong” when attempting to interpret that one – including MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann, who cracked open his Democrat/English dictionary to offer the most salient clarification of all. He explained that Kerry was actually referring to President Bush’s intelligence, and was attacking Bush’s “team” as being dense for not understanding that. Said Olbermann, "Kerry called them stupid, and they were too stupid to know he called them stupid."
Kerry is verifiably “empty.” Olbermann is just a bold-faced liar and a horse’s backside.
Then there’s the always the smooth, faint-inducing, golden-tongued, blessed with tones so pleasant and melodious that even the most suspicious among us could be tamed (if we just let him) Democratic nominee for President of the United States, Barack Obama – the very icon of political “emptiness”.
Mr. Magne-Cum-Laude himself (at the Saddleback forum) said that he couldn’t appropriately comment on when human life began because it was “above his pay grade.” He eventually had to clarify his statement by saying, “All I meant to communicate was that I don't presume to be able to answer these kinds of theological questions.”
It’s interesting to note that he apparently felt he knew enough to be able to decide that the killing of that “unknown” quantity was perfectly reasonable.
When Senator Obama, talking about small-town Americans, said, “It's not surprising … they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them … as a way to explain their frustrations,” he eventually clarified what he really meant by saying, “So I said … when you're bitter you turn to what you can count on. So people … vote about guns, or they take comfort from their faith and their family and their community.”
How ironic it is that Democrats, always self-promoted as the party of the common people, have such a difficult time talking to the Wal-Mart set.
As Chicago Tribune Columnist Clarence Page wrote:
As we enter the season of high political anxiety, here's my advice to Democrats: Dumb it down. I don't need to give that advice to Republicans. They've been dumbing it down for years. That's why they keep winning.
Thank you, Mr. Page.
As for the “loony” … how about Georgia Representative John Lewis?
Recently, controversial remarks he made in which he compared the “feeling” he got from John McCain-Sarah Palin political rallies to those of segregationist George Wallace over thirty-five years ago were – in his own words - misinterpreted.
Of course they were.
Lewis - clarifying his “misinterpreted” remarks – said that his statement "was a reminder to all Americans that toxic language can lead to destructive behavior." The fact that Congressman Lewis continues to be a crusader for an honorable battle that has long since been won is as sad as the fact that when he sees and hears John McCain and Sarah Palin on the campaign trail, it comes up George Wallace.
Lewis originally stated:
He (Wallace) never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.
That is – at the very least - loony. It is unconditionally disgusting, actually – but somehow we misinterpreted what he meant.
Recall Congressman Charlie Rangel who called the war in Iraq the “biggest fraud ever committed on the people of this country,” and even said it was as bad as “six million Jews being killed” in the Holocaust.
Looney yes. Moronic, unquestionably … and downright repulsive.
Come to think of it … maybe a third category is in order.
“...Democrats – almost always portrayed as the most astute, most intellectual members of the political gamut..”
Andrew, Don’t forget who it is that makes that claim!
Democrats.
You are absolutely correct.
I should have added that in there.
They are the people they’ve been waiting for.
Andrew Roman
Brooklyn, NY
Obama’s candidacy is historic.
He’s our first affirmative action Presidential candidate.
Health Care - totally mismanaged and made complicated and too expensive - courtesy of the Democrats.
Democrat energy policy - No energy, no where, no way, no how. Ain't gonna happen.
Mortgage mess - Courtesy of the Democrats, the bankruptcy of American and world wide economic distress.
So my question is not so much whether Democrats will once again achieve power, but once they do, and once they finally achieve the total and utter bankruptcy of America, what's next? What then?
But Obama’s a uniter, historically bringing together:
The badly misinformed
The dangerously naive
The fundamentally stupid
The thoroughly corrupt
Your point is well-taken .. and it’s a point I’ve actually address in previous columns.
Democrats never think “what happens next.”
Their feel-good policies are temporary elixirs to win votes and fire endorphines.
They never ever think what the consequences of their policies will be.
I, too, ask .. what’s next? what then?
Andrew Roman
Brooklyn, NY
That's easy: THE ENEMY.
LOL! I heard the VERY same thing.
The first thing that popped into my mind was, “How can they make the absolute RIDICULOUS sound so plausible?”
I laughed my tushy off...
Too funny.
Andrew Roman
Brooklyn, NY
touche.
Andrew Roman
Brooklyn, NY
Thank you.
I’ve always felt that Kerry’s failed stuck in Iraq “joke” cost him the election because of the immediate response of the troops with their famous “Halp us” banner photo that went viral in mere minutes.
Once you’ve become the butt of your own joke you are doomed.
Obama has played it safe and humorless in that regard.
Funny that Georgia Rep John Lewis is reminded of a Democrat that he probably supported when he speaks of McCain/Palin.
Well said.
A misspoken word or phrase is not something comservatives should care about in the least - especially when there are SO MANY other legit reasons to go after Senator Obama.
Andrew Roman
Brooklyn, MY
just a little honesty.
The dRATS chief constiuency is poor people. Those that are single moms, unemployed, low income, terrible education and government unions.
If there were no stupid people the rats would be extinct.
“If there were no stupid people the rats would be extinct.”
Yet some of the major supporters of the “RATS” are highly educated, entrepeneurs, scientists, and otherwise wealthy, successful leaders within our society.
I don’t believe the nonsense often stated about the Rich feeling guilty about their wealth, causing them to be supportive of Leftist mentality. If they didn’t display empathy for the downtrodden in their success, they would be riddled with holes by the Press, which could reflect upon their remaining wealthy. A form of capitulation one might say to potential threat of the common ploy of extortion by the Left.
The wealthy do feel untouchable other than their wealth. IMO it is profitable to display, and participate in even misguided Leftist schemes, thus the vast amounts of money from wealthy resources financing Democrat ventures. This I believe provides the confidence in the obvious insanity that is the Democrat of today.
Sorry I sort of wandered off on that one.
I have a tendency to agree with you here.
The vast majority of academia in the country are either left-leaning or qualify as full-fledged leftists - and it is absolutely correct to say that these people fall under the awning of “eductaed” or “highly educated.”
I do think that there are rich liberals who feel they “need” to do something good with their wealth. The problem is, their value system keeps them being able to admit that being tough - or even, to some degree, judemental - is an effective (and morally correct) way to handle many of the problems that exist among the poor. In other words, to be able to say to someone who is in a dire situation that they need to change the way they live their life, or that they need to do certain things that may not be comfortable anymore, can easily come across as being “judgemental,” and many liberals find that to be an “anethma.”
“Who am I to judge someone?”
Therefore, handing out money, or having the government just “give” money to the unfortunate from the coffers of the rich is simply easy. There are no tough decisions that have to be made. No judgements to hold. No imposition of morality or goodness, which after all - to them - is a subjective thing anyway. Just hand out the money to “prove” we are compassionate, and all is fine.
I agree with you, in large part, when you write: “If they didn’t display empathy for the downtrodden in their success, they would be riddled with holes by the Press, which could reflect upon their remaining wealthy.”
Leftist ideology is almost all born of emoting. They apply micro ideals to macro situations. One simply cannot legislate through emotion. To do so is to destroy the standards of a civilization.
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