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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: Howlin
One wonders if they shouldn't ease up, calm down, breathe deep, get more securely grounded. The most moving speeches summon us to the cause of what is actually possible. Perfection in the life of man on earth is not.
I'm actually gonna cut Peggy a little slack here...
 
Bush's speech was magnificent, and the day was absolutely lovely. Bush's dream, his vision, is beautiful and inspiring, and it is one that all compassionate people share.
 
Is it possible? Is it realistic? Let us hope that it is but, I think that one, while hoping "Yes!", can still forgive another for saying, "Maybe no."

61 posted on 01/20/2005 10:05:08 PM PST by AnnaZ
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To: Fenris6

Pardon me?


62 posted on 01/20/2005 10:05:16 PM PST by A Citizen Reporter
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To: Texasforever

I lost what? I voted for GW Bush twice.

What are you talking about?

What did I lose?


63 posted on 01/20/2005 10:05:27 PM PST by Palladin (Proud to be a FReeper!)
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To: zarf
Interplanetary, most extraordinary craft. All welcome on board except party reporter spoilt sports and cunning linguists.
64 posted on 01/20/2005 10:06:01 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: RWR8189
The inaugural address itself was startling. It left me with a bad feeling, and reluctant dislike.

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.

65 posted on 01/20/2005 10:06:29 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Christine Fraudoire is not my governoire.)
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To: Dont_Tread_On_Me_888
I find that very disturbing as it implies more globalism and wealth transfer and less liberty.

Dude!! Get real!! Yes, the world is becoming more interdependent. It ain't gonna get less so. Bush is laying out the groundwork to deal with that reality.

Quit it with your Pat Buchanan BS.

66 posted on 01/20/2005 10:06:58 PM PST by zarf
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To: jennyjenny

You always disagree with me , jenny.

If I say BLACK, you say WHITE.

So, what else is new?


67 posted on 01/20/2005 10:07:03 PM PST by Palladin (Proud to be a FReeper!)
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To: Palladin
I lost what? I voted for GW Bush twice.

Riiight.

68 posted on 01/20/2005 10:07:33 PM PST by Texasforever (It's hard to kiss the lips at night that chew your butt out all day long.)
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To: RWR8189

I don't understand how someone who is so public about her Catholicism can complain about too much religion in a speech being made by a religious man to a religious nation.


69 posted on 01/20/2005 10:07:48 PM PST by Capriole (the Luddite hypocritically clicking away on her computer)
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet

Too much hope and spirituality for some people is like garlic to Dracula.


70 posted on 01/20/2005 10:08:15 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: RWR8189

Who did Winston Churchill get to write his stuff?


71 posted on 01/20/2005 10:08:19 PM PST by Sam Cree (Democrats are herd animals)
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To: RWR8189
The one thing I agree on is that there was too much God talk and God music. I have never in four years minded any of W's talk about God, but today I was muttering "All RIGHT already, you were elected President, not pastor."

Other than that, I think Noonan's criticisms odd. If you can't lay out a broad, thematic speech at an inauguration, when?

72 posted on 01/20/2005 10:08:19 PM PST by Darkwolf377 (Is anyone sad Terayza isn't First Lady? Didn't think so...)
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To: Howlin
I'm not playing games. I'm just curious. What specific songs would you have preferred to have been performed at the ceremony? Music is an important part of my life. I enjoy a wide array of musical expressions. I've been a grade school music teacher, and sung with a Sweet Adeline quartet (barbershop), a 120 voice church choir ( mostly classical), community theatre ( mostly show tunes), and presently I'm a part of a worship team ( a 50/50 split of traditional hymns and contemporary Christian). There are limits to my musical tastes though. Heavy metal and rap makes me nauseous. My favorite music while writing is baroque, Irish instrumental, and Big Band.
73 posted on 01/20/2005 10:08:45 PM PST by Irish Queen
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To: All

peggy@peggynoonan.com

Frankly, I think she is a bit jealous.


74 posted on 01/20/2005 10:08:59 PM PST by rwfromkansas ("War is an ugly thing, but...the decayed feeling...which thinks nothing worth war, is worse." -Mill)
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To: Palladin
OOPs. I mistook you for someone else. I apologize.
75 posted on 01/20/2005 10:09:36 PM PST by Texasforever (It's hard to kiss the lips at night that chew your butt out all day long.)
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To: Darkwolf377

He did not mention God that much. IT is just because he does at all that it gets more attention.


76 posted on 01/20/2005 10:09:51 PM PST by rwfromkansas ("War is an ugly thing, but...the decayed feeling...which thinks nothing worth war, is worse." -Mill)
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To: Texasforever

Whatever.

The speech was so chockful of platitudes and cliches, I thought I was listening to JFK in 1961.

Where have all the great speechwriters gone?


77 posted on 01/20/2005 10:10:04 PM PST by Palladin (Proud to be a FReeper!)
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To: AnnaZ

There are those that must have said that "tear down this wall" was unrealistic too. I find Peggy to be a bloody hypocrite.


78 posted on 01/20/2005 10:10:15 PM PST by A Citizen Reporter
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To: AnnaZ

It's projection on her part and putting words in W's mouth that he never said. Maybe she had a few too many wines today, who know ?


79 posted on 01/20/2005 10:10:54 PM PST by John Lenin
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To: Dont_Tread_On_Me_888
She made accurate observations and is right on the mark.

No, Peggy revealed she has no idea why Bush was elected, what his message has been or why he inspired tens of thousands of volunteers to work on his campaign. She has revealed that she is on the outside looking in on something she simply doesn't understand.

80 posted on 01/20/2005 10:11:18 PM PST by Dolphy
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