Posted on 01/27/2005 9:16:49 PM PST by quidnunc
Because her idiosyncratic take on George W. Bush's Second Inaugural Address did not go unnoticed, Peggy Noonan decided she had some splainin' to do. Okay by me. But then she went and threw a press conference. For herself. Asking and answering her own questions. If that isn't a symptom of Olympian presumption, I'm not sure what is.
Fans of her writing may remember that Noonan is the columnist who three months ago told fellow conservatives not to rock the boat over Arlen Specter's elevation to chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee (even though she's Catholic and Specter has been hostile to pro-life nominees for positions on the federal bench). Back then, she described "Ssssshhhhhhhh" as both a "wonderful sound" and "good advice for our country" — something to keep in mind while we breathe deeply and "build a great silence" on issues that matter.
I hate to start thinking of her as Peggy "turn down the volume" Noonan, but her newfound enthusiasm for quietude at any cost would explain her adverse reaction to GWB's second inaugural. She wants oboes and clarinets. The guy in Air Force One whom she voted for prefers trumpets and cymbals.
"Life is layered, complex, not always most needful of political action. For many people in the world the most important extrafamilial relationship is not with the state but with the God," Noonan writes.
That's blessedly true, as far as it goes, but borderline lunatic when used to criticize a head of state who can only meet the demands of his office by engaging in political action. While the presidential writ doesn't extend to priesthood (thank God!), and the troubles of this world will pass away, it's hard to fault GWB's ode to freedom as "perplexing and disturbing," the way Noonan does.
In a crowning irony, Noonan gives thanks for the fact that timid staffers in the Reagan White House could not prevent Mr. Reagan from saying "tear down this wall," and calling the Soviet Union an "evil empire." Four administrations and one Laura Ingraham-style "but monkey" later, however, Noonan laments the lack of defensive thinking that in her youth she would have eviscerated.
-snip-
People are not turning on her for difference of opinion.
It's her attitude that struck a nerve.
I'm right here, Peg. Freepmail me anytime.
Peggy who ?
Yep. She dug her own grave.
That is what bugs me- and I don't tow the party line on a handful of issues.
You can command 100,000 volunteers?
I doubt that.
"I guessed I missed her press conference."
I think he is referring to her column today on opinionjournal.com
It's done in a question and answer format. It manages to answer nothing and only raise more question imho.
It's the way she did it. It was a cheap shot to draw attention to herself. Guess what, it backfired.
"Here's what I think may be the burr under her saddle:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1329881/posts "
Right. Freepers making ignorant assumptions on her motive. That kinda BS belongs over at DU.
Thanks, I did miss that column then.
I believe she's saying this to try to rebuild the conservative base she lost last week, you know after the fact, hind sight is 20-20 and all that.
I don’t believe Bush would make that mistake again. Which means he wouldn’t have spoken quite so loudly if the big stick weren’t already in place — if plans weren’t well advanced and perhaps even under way against Iran and some of the low-hanging fruit elsewhere in the region. Bush won’t abolish all global tyranny by 2008 — that might have to wait till Condi’s second term — and there won’t be ‘four more wars’. But by the time he steps down, by one means or another, there will be four fewer dictatorships in the world, including Iran.
Bingo. It's the goofy, girlish, lightweight attitude when writing about matters of great seriousness. I wouldn't have minded, in the slightest, a tough but thoughtful slam on the Bush speech. That is far from what Peggy wrote.
I've looked at her with a jaundiced eye ever since she wrote an over-the-top column praising the recently deceased Senator Paul Wellstone in 2002. Again, it wasn't the content, but the way she expressed herself and the intemperate praise for a man who vehemently opposed about 90 percent of what all serious conservatives believe in.
And here she pisses on Bush at a very conspicuous and strategic moment ... O'Hannigan is also right to point out that she wrote that absurd column in defense of Specter a month or two back. Another warning sign that she was losing her cookies ...
"...she went all maudlin."
Peggy's prose is so purple if the word "maudlin" didn't exist we'd have to invent it just for her.
She's compromised her credibility irreparably.
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Yes she did -- and I am still amazed at her stance and commentary.
I, too, saw peggy right after the speech. With everyone else (even some dems) talking great speech and historical speech, Peggy's article was just out there by itself. Did you also notice how bad she looked that morning on FNC? She looked great by that night. I really don't get what is going on with her.
"IMO, Peggy Noonan is consumed with petty jealousy."
IMO, you are consumed with petty jealousy.
School-boy crushes are a sad thing in a grown man.
Hate to say, I told you so!
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