Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Peggy Noonan: The President Within
Opinion Journal ^ | 11/16/2001 | Peggy Noonan

Posted on 11/16/2001 1:21:48 PM PST by Pokey78

Edited on 04/23/2004 12:03:54 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

He walked into history an obscure, flat footed, bantamy little fellow in a light gray suit, the inhabitant of an eloquence-free zone who gave boring speeches in a flat voice. He was not compelling. This was more obvious because he followed a charismatic leader who did big things and filled the screen. He was quickly defined and dismissed by the opinion elite as "a first-rate second-rate man." And maybe at the beginning he feared the appraisal was correct, for when he became president he said very frankly that he felt the moon and the stars had fallen upon him.


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


TOPICS: Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: noonan; peggynoonanlist; september12era
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-123 next last
To: Pokey78
TA for ping, Pokey. Noonan is so great at describing our wonderful President.
81 posted on 11/16/2001 1:59:37 PM PST by stands2reason
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MadIvan
I am having an extremely hard time containing myself, dear friend.

FWIW ... Chruchill was indeed a GREAT man, and if the poltroon who posted his insane hyperpole wants to keep making juvenile, contemptable statments, he is going to have to put up with a whole lot of us fist clenchers. : - )

82 posted on 11/16/2001 2:00:40 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: MadIvan
I am having an extremely hard time containing myself, dear friend.

FWIW ... Churchill was indeed a GREAT man ! If the poltroon who posted his insane hyperpole wants to keep making juvenile, contemptable statments, he is going to have to put up with a whole lot of us fist clenchers. : - )

83 posted on 11/16/2001 2:01:31 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: MadIvan
I am having an extremely hard time containing myself, dear friend.

FWIW ... Churchill was indeed a GREAT man ! If the poltroon who posted his insane hyperbole wants to keep making juvenile, contemptable statments, he is going to have to put up with a whole lot of us fist clenchers. : - )

84 posted on 11/16/2001 2:01:45 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: nopardons

>I guess that you feel utter contempt for Jesus Christ too.

No.

Pity.

85 posted on 11/16/2001 2:02:57 PM PST by Benoit Baldwin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78
Bump.
86 posted on 11/16/2001 2:07:05 PM PST by Rocko
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78
His natural verbal style is Texas wise-guy . . .

What a great line describing a GREAT President! What a great post! I can't wait to read the replies.

87 posted on 11/16/2001 2:08:43 PM PST by mombonn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78
Mr. Bush also followed a charismatic leader, and I do not mean Mr. Clinton. Mr. Clinton, whose eight years in the presidency could be compressed like an accordion into one inch of meaning, was no FDR. The charismatic figure Mr. Bush follows is the last big American president, the last who had the massive presence of a battleship, Ronald Reagan.

Just smiling.

88 posted on 11/16/2001 2:09:57 PM PST by nancetc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Benoit Baldwin
NO ? Why not ? HE was / is responsible for many deaths. Soe of HIS deciples were murdered because of HIM, many people have also been killed because of HIM. The now released 8 , in Afghanistan, were aressted and held ( and might have been jailed and / or murdered ) because of HIM.

Are you now backing away from your postion ?

Why did you ignore my question about George Washington ? What about every president, general, or members of both Houses, who held elected office during a war ? What about the members of the jury and the judge who sent the Rosenbergs , RIGHTLY , to their deaths ? All of those people, throughout the centuries were horrible ?

You are absolutely ALONE , in your stance. That does NOT make you correct, and everyone else wrong. It makes YOU a KOOK !

89 posted on 11/16/2001 2:20:34 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: Benoit Baldwin
I guess that you feel utter contempt for Jesus Christ too.

No.

Pity.

Jesus feel the same toward you. Best get right with Him while there's still time.

90 posted on 11/16/2001 2:22:19 PM PST by mombonn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: ohioWfan
You just don't like that people admire and respect him deeply, because you don't.

I just don't like that Noonan is engaging in over the top hyperbole and people seem to be lapping it up.I have said nothing critical of Bush. Noonan, however, must be read critically. She is a professional propagandist. She was a speechwriter for papa Bush. Remember the thousand points of light? That's her. She is completely prejudiced and subsequently her words must be evaluated as such. It is absurd to judge this president or the actions he's taken since the terrorist attack without living through the consequences of his actions. Noonan's ga-ga-eyed prose has already led some to think that Bush's virtues are sublime merely because the man practices the common, yes common, courtesy of punctuality. I doubt very much if Gore, as president, had said the exact same words and done the exact same things as Bush that Noonan would be a fraction as flattering. She is a partisan and should be treated as such. Her aim is not to propegate truth, but rather exaggerate what is politically expedient. Because she happens to be on your side, what she writes isn't necessarily true.

I like Bush on his own merits.

I dislike Noonan because I dislike romance novels.

91 posted on 11/16/2001 2:22:19 PM PST by St.Chuck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: nopardons
Now you are comparing Bush with Stalin and Hitler.

Uh...apparently your reading comprehension skills are lacking. No such comparison was made. You are a perfect example of the undiscerning Noonan reader.

92 posted on 11/16/2001 3:14:58 PM PST by St.Chuck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]

To: DooDahhhh
Do you know where to buy one of those W lunchboxes?

No, I sure wish I did. Sounds like the perfect Christmas gift for all my Freeper friends. :)

93 posted on 11/16/2001 3:21:55 PM PST by St.Chuck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: ohioWfan
...the president can hardly be described as bantamy

Your right. Ms. Noonan was describing Truman as bantamy.

94 posted on 11/16/2001 3:27:02 PM PST by St.Chuck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: gridlock
I don't think Neville Chamberlin was directly responsible for the death of a single human being. Yet he was a dynamic political leader and negotiated an important agreement. Was he a great man?

Did something I post give you the impression that I agreed with this guy's opinion (post #15)? If so, you need to slow that speed reading down a bit (or I need to improve my communication skills).

Now, about those lunchboxes...

95 posted on 11/16/2001 3:47:41 PM PST by occam's chainsaw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: St.Chuck
No, I'm not, and my reading comprehension is superior to your's , dear. So is my ability to write a cogent reply, without trying to run away from one of my own postings. LOL
96 posted on 11/16/2001 3:58:57 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: Pokey78
Being from Texas, and just "up the road" (Lubbock) from where GW is from, I feel confident that he wouldn't be offended if I call him President GW. We like nicknames and initials in Texas. When a man makes his mark, in Texas, he earnes, and is identified, by the mark the people give him. The humble man takes that compliment and sets with it. Regardless if he likes it or not. He accepts it, and works with it. So, to me, he's President GW. He's the kind of man that would smile if I shook his hand and called him President GW, and he would be honored, and appreciate the compliment. A compliment that can only be given by another Texan. I like that!

This is a man you can trust. He's a leader, he's a commander, he's a statesman. The best man won, thank God! This is a good man, I've known this man (by politics in West Texas) for years. He lost a congressional bid, but it wasn't as bad as the media put it. He did well in a "big time" democratic district. He gave a scary run to the democRAT and he won respect and he kept that respect in his run against the Commie GrandMommie Ann Richards. He beat her with the things she DID TO Texans, rather than to get into the mud where Richards wanted him to come. He kept himself, and his campaign, above the dirt that she wanted to wallow in. He was a true gentleman, and he prevailed.

Ann Richards hated West Texas, that's a lot of people to piss off. GW was born there. It makes a heck of a difference!

97 posted on 11/16/2001 4:02:42 PM PST by timydnuc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarFan
I think Noonan's essay is remarkable and spot on. She is becoming one of my favorite authors. The comparison with Truman is brilliant.
98 posted on 11/16/2001 4:13:01 PM PST by history_matters
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: nopardons

>You are absolutely ALONE , in your stance. 

No.

My stance is accompanied by all of yours.

99 posted on 11/16/2001 4:30:52 PM PST by Benoit Baldwin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: St.Chuck
Are the lunchboxes already out??? I want mine. Give us a frigging break-we have not had anything in the White House to be proud of in 8 long years and now we have a leader that has outproven even those of us who knew he was going to be great! This is a man that has made us proud to be American. He is not perfect but he is so close right now that you can't even count the difference.
100 posted on 11/16/2001 4:37:06 PM PST by sibb1213
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-123 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson