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P.J. O'Rourke lays an egg in San Francisco (Freeper Report)
Commonwealth Club of San Francisco speech/booksigning ^ | 2/13/2014 | Self

Posted on 02/13/2014 12:24:04 PM PST by SFmom

I jumped at the last-minute invitation to hear P.J.O'Rourke comment on current events and tout his new book on the Boomer generation at the Commonwealth Club last night in San Francisco. What a disappointment! He unleashed a scathing---and not funny to me----attack on the Tea Party and Ted Cruz. He said, "This is why politics should not be left to amateurs. Boehner is an adult. Ted Cruz is not." Also added "The Tea Party is a big tree and unfortunately big trees attract a lot of squirrels." In the past I have relished his writing, from National Lampoon's High School Yearbook to "All the Trouble in the World" which kept me in stitches as I endured the vacation from hell years ago.

A conservative he is not! At least anymore! Left without buying the book. Too depressed.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: conservatism; teaparty
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To: SFmom
I heard an interview while he was on his book tour. He didn't sound all that liberal but he was not very funny compared to years past. I guess the years add up for humor writers too.
21 posted on 02/13/2014 12:53:07 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: Wallace T.

“It happens on the Left as well”

Gretta?

Unending Clinton supporter during impeachment and buried most Chinagate stories.

Sold her DC home for 3x asking price to....the Chinese government.

But, like Clintons 2am phone call to lewinski to tell her Curries brother was killed in a hit and run and she (Lewinski) was now a witness against him....few remember..even less care.


22 posted on 02/13/2014 12:53:09 PM PST by icwhatudo (Low taxes and less spending in Sodom and Gomorrah is not my idea of a conservative victory)
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To: SFmom

I am reading his latest Not at all up to his historical standard

I think that like Hunter S Thompson he has gone from iconoclast to self absorbed whiner


23 posted on 02/13/2014 12:55:00 PM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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To: SFmom

I may be very sorely mistaken about something:

PJO and LAZMATAZ — They are the SAME person, or no...?

I must be very confused.


24 posted on 02/13/2014 12:55:15 PM PST by gaijin
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To: miss marmelstein

I so agree with you.

Add Joe Queenan to the list as well.


25 posted on 02/13/2014 12:56:06 PM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: SFmom

For a stretch from the late 80s through the 90s, he was simply one of the best. Parliament of Whores and Give War a Chance are classics in the world of conservative humor. I think what we are seeing is an author losing his edge. It started when he went after Rush Limbaugh for no reason, and has continued through his appearances with Bill Maher. It’s disappointing.


26 posted on 02/13/2014 12:56:11 PM PST by cdcdawg (Be seeing you...)
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To: SFmom

Any “conservative” who is pro-abortion will eventually come out as a liberal.


27 posted on 02/13/2014 12:56:55 PM PST by Arthur McGowan
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To: SFmom

He hasn’t been funny for about 10 years - at least not conservative, politically funny. That’s why he gets to speak in San Fran.


28 posted on 02/13/2014 12:58:40 PM PST by bboop (does not suffer fools gladly)
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To: Wallace T.

Great list.

Add Bill Bennet and Ben Stein to that list. I used to love their works. But they went soft.


29 posted on 02/13/2014 1:00:27 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: Wiser now
So PJ has embraced the Parliament of Whores? Too bad.

My thoughts exactly. What the hell happened? He had it right earlier. I remember seeing him in college, and I think he autographed that book for me.

Aside from the personalities, I don't know how a thinking person doesn't see Cruz as an incredible serious, intelligent person. He's a 5-star Solicitor General with a stellar track record. He's calm, quick on his feet and handles every situation with nothing but professionalism. Calling Boehner the adult and Cruz not is without question the dumbest, most unoriginal thought to ever come out of O'Rourke's mouth.

30 posted on 02/13/2014 1:00:28 PM PST by ilgipper (Obama is proving that very bad ideas can be wrapped up in pretty words)
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To: Wallace T.

Agree with you on the others, but I still like Pat Buchanan. I don’t think that Pat can be credibly accused of selling out conservatism or losing his edge, even if you disagree with him on certain issues (e.g., Israel).


31 posted on 02/13/2014 1:01:08 PM PST by irishjuggler
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To: SFmom

Wow, now I know we’re in the End Times.


32 posted on 02/13/2014 1:03:13 PM PST by navymom1
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To: bboop

The room was packed, but there was very little laughing. A little chuckle here or there, especially when re-telling a Reagan joke, but it seemed like a ho-hummer for a lot of people. I suspect a large part of the audience was conservative like me and not amused.


33 posted on 02/13/2014 1:03:19 PM PST by SFmom
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To: SFmom

P.J., P.J., P.J.

“Remember the audience.”


34 posted on 02/13/2014 1:03:24 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: SFmom

The truth is that Ted Cruz is very nearly the only adult in Washington.


35 posted on 02/13/2014 1:04:38 PM PST by TigersEye (Stupid is a Progressive disease.)
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To: SFmom

He was really more of a small-l libertarian, not a conservative.

If he’s sucking up to Boehner and slamming Cruz and the Tea Party, he can’t even claim that.


36 posted on 02/13/2014 1:05:31 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: Wiser now

That’s gonna leave a mark.

Spot on.


37 posted on 02/13/2014 1:06:07 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: blueunicorn6

LOL!
The moderator was Ron Owen, a liberal, and I bet they BOTH thought the audience would be primarily liberal. They were probably blind-sided. And I bet they STILL don’t realize who was in the audience.


38 posted on 02/13/2014 1:07:37 PM PST by SFmom
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To: TigersEye

I hear much the same whispered about you & Colorado.


39 posted on 02/13/2014 1:08:00 PM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: FreedomPoster

I agree, but last night HE described HIMSELF conservative. Not in my book.


40 posted on 02/13/2014 1:10:11 PM PST by SFmom
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