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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: iconoclast

No comment on my posting of Reagan's second inaugural address, I see.


621 posted on 01/22/2005 5:58:59 AM PST by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
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To: iconoclast; exhaustedmomma
Great people talk about ideas, average people talk about things, and small people talk about people.

Gee, iconoclast, I think that's what you've just done here..........a whole bunch of times.

And about that 'cardinal sin' discussion and your question about it. The exhausted one flung out the term in her attempt to put down a whole bunch of people who disagreed with Noonan.

My guess is that the 'cardinal sin' she's referring to is criticizing the President. Hard to tell for sure.

But when I questioned her use of the term, she sent me to a link explaining what the cardinal sins are. I thought that was a both funny and a touch bizarre. (If I didn't already know what cardinal sin meant, I wouldn't have trouble with her blatant misuse of the term to belittle others).

That's about it.

622 posted on 01/22/2005 6:03:04 AM PST by ohioWfan (Have you PRAYED for your President today?)
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To: Fenris6
" will walk and you can get used to hearing President Clinton for another eight years. "


What kind of person has a problem of toooooooo much "GOD". The whole world has been itching that Bush is arrogant, dictator, Nazi-like, and a host of all manner of names, along comes a supposed 'good' person and their biggest problem with the President's speech is there is toooooo much "GOD".

I heard supposed conservatives so very proud of themselves telling with glee how they stayed home in 1998 and the House of Representative darn near went back to the leftists.

Why is your right to be offended so very much more important than anyone else, so much so with glee you would turn the reign of power over to another Clinton.

So you go for it!
623 posted on 01/22/2005 6:05:46 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: Fenris6
LOL! I hope you really meant REGARDS in this post, and not RETARDS!

If not, you are the quintessential pot/kettle perpetrator!

624 posted on 01/22/2005 6:07:10 AM PST by ohioWfan (Have you PRAYED for your President today?)
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To: Just mythoughts
What kind of person has a problem of toooooooo much "GOD".

The kind of person that is naturally suspicious of utopian attempts to establish heaven on earth--those who have formerly been called conservatives.

Noonan established her conservative credentials a long time ago. It's too bad that more posters on FR haven't addressed her argument substantively, but rather have indulged in spiteful personal attacks.

625 posted on 01/22/2005 6:10:27 AM PST by independentmind
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To: RWR8189

Perky Peg raises a question: Is it possible to mention God too much?

Peg tells us her answer: yes, it is possible to mention God too much. We must then pose Perky Peg another question..."how much is too much? in a 15 minute speech is it 10 times, 20 times, 30 times," how many times, Peg?

Or is it not the quantity of times God is mentioned, but rather the quality of His mention? Is it wrong to describe God as the King of the Universe, as Bush did? Is it wrong to give God credit for His eternal goodness, as Bush did? Should we limit the quality of credit we God to a yardstick of what our physical senses can actually measure, and therefore shut up about eternity and universal stuff?

So Peg, is what bothers you the number of times Bush gives God credit, or is what bothers you the degree of which Bush give God credit??

perky Peg needs to explain herself


626 posted on 01/22/2005 6:12:28 AM PST by joyful1
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To: independentmind
"The kind of person that is naturally suspicious of utopian attempts to establish heaven on earth--those who have formerly been called conservatives."


OH PLEASE 'utopian attempts to establish heaven on earth', ok I will calm down because obviously this is a 'religious' issue with you and President Bush has invaded some realm of the religious some deposit in another human.

"Noonan established her conservative credentials a long time ago. It's too bad that more posters on FR haven't addressed her argument substantively, but rather have indulged in spiteful personal attacks."

I take great OFFENSE in this "MATERIAL" girl itching about toooooooooooo much GOD.
627 posted on 01/22/2005 6:17:55 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
I would like to hear her square this with her remarks immediately following the speech, which I did not hear, but understand were far more flattering.

I did hear her remarks on Fox and they were VERY complimentary. In fact, she acted overwhelmed in a positive way. Wish I could remember her exact words, but maybe someone will be able to find the text.

I thought Bill O'Reilly summed up her Way Too Much God article very well. He said she was just crying out for attention. LOL! Then he pointed out that GWB only referenced God four times, and didn't even use the name, "God" each time. I never have been a big fan of Peggy Noonan, but now she's made me a foe.
628 posted on 01/22/2005 6:30:14 AM PST by demkicker (I'm Ra th er sick of Dan)
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To: independentmind
This article, and this thread really gives me a new insight on what "madonna" was singing about in "material girl".
629 posted on 01/22/2005 6:34:39 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: Just mythoughts

LOL. You're barking up the wrong tree, believe me. Noonan's perspective is a very Catholic one, but I'm guessing that wouldn't be an endorsement to you.


630 posted on 01/22/2005 6:39:50 AM PST by independentmind
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To: ohioWfan
My guess is that the 'cardinal sin' she's referring to is criticizing the President. Hard to tell for sure.

And I think she meant to say that Noonan had violated the "Eleventh Commandment", often quoted by Reagan, actually postulated by California Party Chairman Gaylord Parkinson, "Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican".

You actually dispute my insinuation that the bulk of this thread (typically) is made up of time wasting flames of Noonan rather than critiques of her comments?

Prozac time?

631 posted on 01/22/2005 6:51:20 AM PST by iconoclast (Conservative, not partisan.)
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To: iconoclast

http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres13.html

George Washington
First Inaugural Address
In the City of New York
Noonan would really have thought "too much God" from George.


632 posted on 01/22/2005 6:53:57 AM PST by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
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To: iconoclast
Wow. That was a leap.

Let me make it simple..... and cut out the stupid 'prozac time' comments, OK, so that you can be taken seriously.

In a series of posts you ragged on people on this thread (I am not 'disputing' what you said.....just pointing that out).

Then you spoke in lofty terms about 'little' people talking about other people. I merely pointed out that that is exactly what you, yourself had been doing (and clearly still are).

Just pointing out the facts that you apparently can't see.........that's all.

633 posted on 01/22/2005 6:58:15 AM PST by ohioWfan (Have you PRAYED for your President today?)
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To: ohioWfan; iconoclast

Posted both excerpts from Reagan and Washington..No comments back..sigh
Isn't that what was being asked for?Ideas?


634 posted on 01/22/2005 7:04:43 AM PST by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
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To: MEG33
No comment on my posting of Reagan's second inaugural address, I see.

Hardly worth commenting on.

Reagan's was prayerful, measured masterpiece.

Bush's was out of touch with reality. Related only in a vague and haughty way to the problems staring him in the face (in much the way as his irresponsible and irrelevant "axis of evil" term was).

635 posted on 01/22/2005 7:07:53 AM PST by iconoclast (Conservative, not partisan.)
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To: MEG33

I have no idea.......... ;o)


636 posted on 01/22/2005 7:08:04 AM PST by ohioWfan (Have you PRAYED for your President today?)
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To: iconoclast
We had a megalomaniac, guns and butter, big-government President once before. At least he had the good grace to admit his mistakes and quit.

I'm not sure here, but I think this comment qualifies you as a "small" person.......by your own definition, that is.

Unless there is some lofty "idea" hidden in there that escapes my notice.

637 posted on 01/22/2005 7:12:24 AM PST by ohioWfan (Have you PRAYED for your President today?)
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To: RWR8189
Even PN has the right to be wrong upon occasion.

Upon this occasion, she may have been writing after a night of revelry and too much Inaugural Punch.

638 posted on 01/22/2005 7:15:40 AM PST by Ed_in_NJ (Who killed Suzanne Coleman?)
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To: RWR8189
Peggy is a classly Lady who has done much to advance our cause. She has the right to be wrong. This was a very Reaganesque speech that will go down as one of the Great Oratory Visions in history.

Pray for W and Our Troops

639 posted on 01/22/2005 7:19:09 AM PST by bray (The Rather-hate Scandal was to support Fraudulant 911)
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To: Fenris6

No need. I don't do knee jerk but obviously you do.

I've advised several people that THEY need to re-read the thread so take your own advice.


640 posted on 01/22/2005 7:19:48 AM PST by cyncooper
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