Posted on 10/13/2008 1:44:39 PM PDT by pissant
McCain lacks the character and temperament to be president. And Palin is simply a disgrace.
I used to nod wisely when people said: "Let's discuss issues rather than personalities." It seemed so obvious that in politics an issue was an issue and a personality was a personality, and that the more one could separate the two, the more serious one was. After all, in a debate on serious issues, any mention of the opponent's personality would be ad hominem at best and at worst would stoop as low as ad feminam.
At my old English boarding school, we had a sporting saying that one should "tackle the ball and not the man." I carried on echoing this sort of unexamined nonsense for quite some time—in fact, until the New Hampshire primary of 1992, when it hit me very forcibly that the "personality" of one of the candidates was itself an "issue." In later years, I had little cause to revise my view that Bill Clinton's abysmal character was such as to be a "game changer" in itself, at least as important as his claim to be a "new Democrat." To summarize what little I learned from all this: A candidate may well change his or her position on, say, universal health care or Bosnia. But he or she cannot change the fact—if it happens to be a fact—that he or she is a pathological liar, or a dimwit, or a proud ignoramus. And even in the short run, this must and will tell.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Obama the silver tongued, well educated, earnest, rock solid character and Palin the ignorant, unlearned, conniving shill.
Some advice for you Mr. Hitchens. Pay attention.
Perhaps unlike in Great Britain, going to the finest institutions of higher learning in the USA is no substitute for common sense. It is no substitute for successful decision making and it is no substitute for wisdom. It is no substitute for the ability to succeed either, in the corporate world or in politics.
Yet, many commentators, including some on the 'right', have expressed dismay, or even mocked Palin for being a backwoods rube, while noting Obama can discuss the writings of some obscure philosopher that 90% of Amercians never heard of and don't care about.
Let's start with the bizness world shall we. (Bear in mind that many of America's finest colleges have been operating for eons. For example, Stanford was started in 1885, MIT in 1861, and the vaunted Ivy League schools hundred plus years before that).
Bill Gates and Paul Allen: Harvard drop outs
Steve Jobs: One semester at Reed College
Thomas Edison: Home schooled.
Henry Ford: Farmer, mechanic and machinist.
Andrew Carnegie: No formal education
Orville and Wilbur Wright: High school dropouts
-----------------------------
And what about Politics....
George Washington: Self educated and a surveyor/soldier
Ben Franklin: Two years of formal schooling as a youngster and apprentice in a printing press
Abraham Lincoln: 18 months of school.
Eisenhower and Patton: Westpoint and VMI, respectively
Harry Truman - 2 years of college and work on the railroad.
Jesse Helms: Junior college dropout, newspaper reporter.
Ronald Wilson Reagan: Graduated from Eureka College, sports announcer.
So next time you want to play the "palin is an anti-intellectual populist" game, keep in mind that each of the names mentioned above did far more for their country and the intellectual, scientific, and cultural development of America than all the classically educated morons that fill the pages of the NY Times, National Review, Slate and the Atlantic Monthly.
A foreigner with a foreigner’s sensibilities. Our small town, wholesome, plain speaking Sarah is just too American for him.
"I'm Baracko Buma and I approved this endorsement."
Palen is unashamedly Christian. Hitchens hates Christianity.
well Pissant...we’re certainly on the same page on this one...I can’t believe that Hitchens...could do this...I’ve lost ALL respect for him.
Great response!
I am opposed to abortion, but if his mother had chosen that route, I would have forgiven her.
Mr Hitchens, I submit that you are “ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth,” (2nd Timothy 3:7) and that you are among those who, “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:22)
If you believe anything they say or have said then I have a island in San Francisco I want to sell you......
Appears that Chris may have suffered a relapse. His condition never appeared to be all that stable.
Barack Obama has no character. He’s a punk. How deep into this article does Hitchens get before he says why we should vote FOR Obama?
Hitchens needs to leave America and go back where-ever he came from.
He’s right about one thing. The “debates” betweeen McCain and Obama show very little difference between them. A case can be made that they are even closer than Nixon and JFK were in 1960.
But this isn't the Bronze Age vs. the Iron Age, folks. This is just bigotry, against people who work for a living.
Hitch hates everyone who doesn't know him. I'd hate to be his bartender.
One day, however. Hitch may learn the hard way never to insult the guy who makes the tartar sauce.
Isn’t this the guy who says he is an Atheist? Or do I have him mixed up with someone else?
“I am opposed to abortion, but if his mother had chosen that route, I would have forgiven her. “
I should not have, but I did—LOL (very loud). : )
That is the guy.
There’s a difference between intelligence and wisdom. That is largely the difference between Obama and Palin. Don’t get me wrong - being smart is good. The fact that Obama knows and can waffle on about all manner of obscure subjects is very commendable. Its an advantage for a president to know things, but in the final analysis, presidents cannot know everything...that is why they have advisors. My take is that Palin may very well know less, but I think she understands more - and in the end, that’s more important.
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