Peggy Noonan: Plainspoken Eloquence

Opinion Journal ^ | 01/31/2002 | Peggy Noonan

[Pokey78]

In the State of the Union, a new vision for the world.

State of the Union addresses are usually reviewed in terms of "eloquence," or "drama," or how the overnight polls register the public's reaction. But for sheer seriousness, for the depth and scope of the information imparted, the president's State of the Union the other night was, simply, staggering.

[Pokey78]

Ping for the PNPL!

[Utah Girl]

Another great article by Peggy Noonan! Can I be put on your ping list? Thanks. :)

[ladyinred]

I love reading Peggy, and this is her usual winner.
President Bush has made us all something we had forgotten how to be...........Americans...........United. Isn't it wonderful to feel that way again?
Those who don't want to join us are the losers here.

[liberallarry]

Exactly. And she's good-looking, too.

[Pokey78]

You have been added.

[christine]

thanks, poke, for the ping. i love peggy! :)

[SuziQ]

Mr. Bush's eloquence is in his plainspokenness, in the fact that each word is a simple coin with a definite worth.

Man, she is such an eloquent writer! It is a perfect description of Pres. Bush's speeches. No wasted or weasel words, he just says what he means and means what he says.

[Utah Girl]

Thanks so much.

[GOPJ]

Can you add me to your ping list? Noonan's one of our best.

"A great gut plus a reliable character is maybe the exact perfect mix for any president, but certainly for a wartime president."

[Miss Marple]

Thanks, Pokey! A great review by a great lady!

[JamesWilson]

A salute to the only person who has cut this 30-year old's taxes. Thank you, Mr. President for everything. [Tear.]

[hawaiian]

Mr. Bush's opposition at the moment appears to have been reduced to agreeing with the president on just about everything and then saying, "But let's make sure we don't run a deficit!" Mr. Bush is talking life and death, love and honor and they're running around talking like accountants.

CLASSIC!

[Swede Girl]

Terrific!

[Lady In Blue]

Mr. Bush's opposition at the moment appears to have been reduced to agreeing with the president on just about everything and then saying, "But let's make sure we don't run a deficit!" Mr. Bush is talking life and death, love and honor and they're running around talking like accountants.

I especially loved that line!

[BlueAngel]

Thanks Pokey. President Bush did us all proud this week!

[patricia]

"...no wasted or weasle words..."

Remember how we used to have threads deciphering what was REALLY being said in 'clinton-speak'?

How very precious President Bush is!!!

[connectthedots]

The Democrats of Congress seem at the moment to be acting like liberal Republicans during the Great Society, always worried about the cost of things and never the meaning. Without a message they wince; they are acting like what H.L. Mencken said of the Puritans, that they lived in constant fear that someone, somewhere is having a good time.

Who else would have ever thought to compare Democraps with Calvinists!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

The Clinton model of inadequate response based on ambivalent feeling is over; likewise the Bush I model of cat-herding coalitions and anxious diplomacy is over, though coalitions and diplomacy are nice, especially when everyone agrees to do the same thing at the same time in the same way.

I'd definetly take GW I model over the Clinton one..and I'll take President GWB II over both of them!

"It is not, in general, good for presidents to be so universally praised. Politicians are made dizzy by love. They lose their edge, their purpose, and coast. But Mr. Bush has earned this support, and in any case wartime is a good time to unify behind a president--particularly this war, particularly this president."

The thing is.. this President will never gloat or want to bask in any kind of glory. He will give credit where credit is due. But he will never be made "dizzy by love" or "lose his edge, his purpose, and coast". It just isn't this humble man. Thats what is so refreshing about him. So unique. So welcomed...

Thanks Pokey.. this was an excellent article. One many here would do well to read and head. Guess the old adage "you can please some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time" (probably not an exact quote, but you know what I mean) applies to this forum of late.

[Lorena]

Thanks Pokey, for another wonderful Noonan article.