Brainy Candidates Need Not Apply: Is John Kerry too intelligent to be president of the U.S.?

The Los Angeles Times ^ | October 22, 2004 | Ariel Dorfman

[quidnunc]

It was what I felt instinctively the first and only time I met him, at a lunch at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in 1998. He was subtle, full of cultural and historical references, elaborating each fine argument at length, with perception and nuance. I commented to one of his aides afterward that I regrettably thought his brains could turn out to be the biggest impediment to a man like him ever occupying the White House.

All these years later, with most polls still showing George W. Bush ahead of his opponent after three debates in which Kerry proved himself more articulate and thoughtful and flexible and able to understand an increasingly dangerous world, I am afraid I may have been right. Yet it still seems inconceivable to me that someone as incompetent, incoherent and obtuse as Bush could possibly command almost half the votes of his fellow countrymen.

Is it that Americans actually like Bush's know-nothing effect? Or is it that Kerry strikes Americans as too highbrow? As pretentious? Do they see his complexity as excessive effeminate suppleness?

This anti-intellectualism has, unfortunately, a long history in the United States.

-snip-

[GOP_1900AD]

Complete propaganda, Kerry is as dumb as a rock. Bush on the other hand is quietly, an extremely intelligent man. But unlike people who grew up in New England, where what school you went to, what your surname is and, how smart you appear to be based on performance levels at specific (youthful) milestones, Bush grew up in Texas, where people really resent smark alecks. EARTH TO MSM, THIS IS AN ISSUE OF REGIONAL CULTURE, NOT INDIVIDUAL INTELLIGENCE!

[imintrouble]

IQ isn't necessarily the intelligence rating required to successfully operate a democracy the size of the U.S.A., in addition to caretaking the rest of the countries we have sworn an obligation to in aide by way of money or services.

There are some Mensa members who cannot find their way to the bathroom unless directed.

IQ measures various things about a person and the only thing I would give Kerry a higher rating than GWB would be the verbal skills - which mean only that he can speak well.

And we all know that wise statement:

It's not what you say, it's what you do!

[Right Wing Professor]

I wonder what kind of connections one would have needed to get into Yale with that kind of score? While there are lots universities that would very quickly admit just about anyone applying with that score, most of the people I have know who went to Ivy League schools had combined SAT scores over 1400.

His Dad was an Ambassador. In the sixties, that was pretty much all you needed.

It's not a knock on people with middling SAT scores, by the way. Lots of very distinguished Americans have been fallen in the middle of the curve. It's just that I laugh at people selling Kewrry as some sort of intellectual.

[GOP_1900AD]

Here kitty, kitty ....

[Bob J]

I was being sarcastic. The fact is that kind of rhetoric offends "fly over" country.

[jwalsh07]

FYI and it does come with a disclaimer

[Warlord]

"All these years later, with most polls still showing George W. Bush ahead of his opponent after three debates in which Kerry proved himself more articulate and thoughtful and flexible and able to understand an increasingly dangerous world, I am afraid I may have been right."

The case is overstated. The fact that one speaks with a flowing cadence does not mean that one is "thoughtful and ... able to understand an increasingly dangerous world." At the root of anti-intellectualism is the substitution of ideology for learning.

[vaudine]

Kerry understands an increasingly dangerous and complex world? I think not.

Another hit piece on Bush's intelligence and understanding.

vaudine

[GOP_1900AD]

So are you a member of the Ruckus Society, or, do you come from somewhere where the surnames have mostly consonants and very few vowels?

ckrigtzegar
Since Oct 22, 2004

[DrDavid]

I was being sarcastic. The fact is that kind of rhetoric offends "fly over" country.

I realized that, but was afraid somebody might take the comment seriously. I think your story “Libs are smarter” has been published many times already.

[paltz]

DORFMAN IS SUCH A COMMIE...CHECK OUT THIS PINKO'S WEBSITE

[NCC-1701]

"...And will vote for crack..."

The dimoCRACKtic party, saviors of the world.

[Revolting cat!]

Look up the author of this piece. He is an Argentinian Communist, who bailed out of Argentina during the military dictatorship time to become a darling of the international Left.

[scory]

To paraphrase Robert Bork: "Intellectuals are people who work with ideas and words. This doesn't mean they are intelligent."

[nosofar]

"To explain his plan would be a waste of his time as his policies were soooooo complex that 'the people' would not be able to understand them."

One thing I've learned is that the more complex the plan, the more likely it is to fail. If it's this complex, then it's just one more argument against Kerry.

[BlueNgold]

I literally just vurped ... and let me assure you that recycled Salami is NOT tasty ... I only got through the first paragraph of this particular piece of tripe before succumbing ... a new record.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Wisdom and cojones are what we want--and currently have--in a President.

Kerry is sorely deficient in both.

[Muleteam1]

We heard the same tripe about the intelligence of Bill Clinton, a man without the intelligence to keep his pants zipped up.

Muleteam1

[GOP_1900AD]

Note the server it's one - duke.edu.

I wonder what his relationship is to the university?

Very interesting.....

[GOP_1900AD]

So are you also an Argentinian Communist as well?