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Peggy Noonan: Way Too Much God
Wall Street Journal ^ | January 21, 2005 | Peggy Noonan

Posted on 01/20/2005 9:33:31 PM PST by RWR8189

Was the president's speech a case of "mission inebriation"?

It was an interesting Inauguration Day. Washington had warmed up, the swift storm of the previous day had passed, the sky was overcast but the air wasn't painful in a wind-chill way, and the capital was full of men in cowboy hats and women in long furs. In fact, the night of the inaugural balls became known this year as The Night of the Long Furs.

Laura Bush's beauty has grown more obvious; she was chic in shades of white, and smiled warmly. The Bush daughters looked exactly as they are, beautiful and young. A well-behaved city was on its best behavior, everyone from cops to doormen to journalists eager to help visitors in any way.

For me there was some unexpected merriness. In my hotel the night before the inauguration, all the guests were evacuated at 1:45 in the morning. There were fire alarms and flashing lights on each floor, and a public address system instructed us to take the stairs, not the elevators. Hundreds of people wound up outside in the slush, eventually gathering inside the lobby, waiting to find out what next.

The staff--kindly, clucking--tried to figure out if the fire existed and, if so, where it was. Hundreds of inaugural revelers wound up observing each other. Over there on the couch was Warren Buffet in bright blue pajamas and a white hotel robe. James Baker was in trench coat and throat scarf. I remembered my keys and eyeglasses but walked out without my shoes. After a while the "all clear" came,

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


TOPICS: Editorial; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: analyticalgenius; boldpeggy; gentlecritic; inauguraladdress; meeeeeooooow; noonan; pegomyheart; prescientpeg; sensiblechic; theantirove; traitor; w2; way2muchnoonan; whattawoman
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To: John Lenin

I agree... the thousand points of light only emphasized how small the Bush Sr. agenda was.


141 posted on 01/20/2005 10:44:32 PM PST by thoughtomator (Meet the new Abbas, same as the old Abbas)
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To: Howlin
Interdependency is the highest stage of personal development. People still stuck at the lower stages have difficulty with the concept.

Compartmentalizing another person into an easy-to-label little box is the hallmark of fools. There are indeed many fools around who are prepared to knock Mr.Bush at every opportunity.
142 posted on 01/20/2005 10:45:29 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: A Citizen Reporter
Thanks for that characterization.
It wasn't a characterization, it was a question. (The squiggle and dot at the end should have given that away.)
Handily used frequently among those who support the President, so.....lukewarmly.
What does that mean? To whom are you referring?
 
No. I find Peggy to be a bloody hypocrite. "Conservatives receive a lot from Noonan"......well Peggy's in it for Peggy, and tonight she's made it perfectly blatant.
Yes. Banish her! Banish her to hell!

143 posted on 01/20/2005 10:46:04 PM PST by AnnaZ
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To: two134711
"Children" by Robert Miles in the mid-1990's is one of the most uplifting, spiritual pieces of music ever made.
144 posted on 01/20/2005 10:46:43 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: All
I somewhat agree with Noonan. There are times when I think the Bush people are mistaken with their rhetoric of "spreading freedom". For example the President said in his speech:
"Yet because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom." as if to imply that our history is about liberating other people.

I felt the same way listening to the Republican convention when at times this "freedom spreading" rhetoric was also espoused from the podium.

IMHO, if we are in Iraq because it's a breeding ground for problems for us, that makes sense to me. If we are there because of some idealistic notion that the Iraqis should be free, that does not make sense. They have to do that for themselves. We can't do it for them.

On the other hand W did say some things I liked in his speech, such as:
"This is not primarily the task of arms, though we will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary. "

and I liked the line about how "Liberty will come to those who love it." That I think is true and well said.

145 posted on 01/20/2005 10:47:18 PM PST by dano1
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To: Mockingbird For Short

I was surprised too. I saw her on Fox today and don't recall any of this she wrote in her WSJ piece, but I wasn't listening very closely. I think if she had been this negative, it would have caught my attention.


146 posted on 01/20/2005 10:48:44 PM PST by veritas3
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To: dano1
as if to imply that our history is about liberating other people.

You think it's not?

147 posted on 01/20/2005 10:48:51 PM PST by Howlin (It's a great day to be an American -- and a Bush Republican!!!!)
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To: RWR8189

God.."Way too much Noonan"


148 posted on 01/20/2005 10:48:57 PM PST by woofie (Proudly posting inane comments since 1998)
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To: AnnaZ
Trite can be cute, but it hardly carries an argument.

I'm sorry that Noonan has exposed herself as being as petty as she seems to be.

149 posted on 01/20/2005 10:50:43 PM PST by A Citizen Reporter
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To: jennyjenny
Sorry about the reference. Jenny's over 30 years of age all around the world around must get it all the time.

In my home city, when that track was put out, I think in the mid 80's, it was very popular. A number one with a smash I think. Anyway all the smart kids of the time would ring the number and ask for Jenny. The phone company had to disconnect the number and the person who's number it was, had to be put into the Rock Music Witness Protection Program.
150 posted on 01/20/2005 10:51:59 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: Red Sea Swimmer

Thanks for the reminder. I'm listening to it on Rhapsody right now. I remember "Fable" from my freshman year at college...what a year that was!


151 posted on 01/20/2005 10:54:22 PM PST by two134711
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To: veritas3
"I saw her on Fox today"

Which time? She made two terribly different appearances on Fox. The one right after the speech, in which she did refer to the speech as "God drenched", and then one this evening. Obviously, by that time she had writen her column for the WSJ, and was much more critical.

152 posted on 01/20/2005 10:55:23 PM PST by A Citizen Reporter
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To: thoughtomator

The way he was saying it I took it as a thousand new government programs ...


153 posted on 01/20/2005 10:56:07 PM PST by John Lenin
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To: two134711

It's a cosmic track par excellence.


154 posted on 01/20/2005 10:56:10 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: veritas3
Oh, and I forgot to add, that knowing how much Peggy has written about her Catholicism, how was I to know when she said the speech was "God drenched" this morning, that she meant it as a bad thing?
155 posted on 01/20/2005 10:57:26 PM PST by A Citizen Reporter
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To: Red Sea Swimmer

For interested readers, visit...

http://www.funs.co.uk/midi/23.html

It is only a midi file. But the sound is o.k.


156 posted on 01/20/2005 10:58:23 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: RWR8189
She's wrong.

It was actually very nice to hear God mentioned so many times.

redrock

157 posted on 01/20/2005 11:03:38 PM PST by redrock (Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. --Will Rogers)
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To: RWR8189

Poor Peggy, this petty pouting is so pitifully puerile.


158 posted on 01/20/2005 11:04:02 PM PST by Ronaldus Magnus
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To: A Citizen Reporter
Trite can be cute, but it hardly carries an argument.
Interesting rhetoric from one who refuses to answer simple, non-aggressive questions.
 
I'm sorry that Noonan has exposed herself as being as petty as she seems to be.
Normally I'd say, "Pot, meet kettle", but that might be too easy.

159 posted on 01/20/2005 11:04:36 PM PST by AnnaZ
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To: Ronaldus Magnus

Peter Piper Picked a Punnet of Peggy Noonans.


160 posted on 01/20/2005 11:05:13 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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