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From the invasion of Iraq to the selection of Sarah Palin, carelessness has characterized recent episodes of faux conservatism. Tuesday's probable repudiation of the Republican Party will punish characteristics displayed in the campaign's closing days.How fascinating that Will, just like Frank Fukuyama, now lumps Sarah Palin together with the invasion of Iraq, considering that Will, just like Fukuyama, was among those who called for a "preemptive" attack on Iraq back in the day:
Some polls show that Palin has become an even heavier weight in John McCain's saddle than his association with George W. Bush. Did McCain, who seems to think that Palin's never having attended a "Georgetown cocktail party" is sufficient qualification for the vice presidency, lift an eyebrow when she said that vice presidents "are in charge of the United States Senate"?
Some critics seem to say that in order for the president to "make the case" for proving that the danger is present, its presence must be evidenced by a "smoking gun." But that means America cannot act against Iraq until acting is much more dangerous, when Iraq has nuclear weapons. . . .It seems Will is blaming Palin for his own "carelessness." He's forging the first draft of history: Having rewritten the past to exempt himself from blame, now he is falsifying the present to hang the blame on Palin. Well, George, if you were so wrong in 2002, why should we believe you're right now?
As Condoleezza Rice has said, let us hope the smoking gun is not a mushroom cloud.
UPDATE: Linked by some lefty Brit blogger, and also by PrestoPundit, who points out that this would be a nice time to re-read Hayek's thoughts on "Why the Worst Get On Top."
dear Mr. McCain
ReplyDeleteI seldom agree with Will, but I wish America was more like him than so many others because Will is rigorous in his thinking. My reading here is that Will meant that the action he signed on for, the invasion of Iraq, was done in a reckless manner.
I have great respect for Michael Ledeen but I wish his daughter and so many other young Republicans had not been sent to run Iraq after our troops won such an amazing military victory. Ideology has uses, but not in filling important positions.
You know the whole woeful story better than I, since as I read you, again whether I agree with you or not I acknowledge you are a thinker on a level that I can only dream to possess, and the story is this: President George W. Bush allowed too many people acting in our country's interest and his name to be chosen by Loyalty Tests first, experience, competence, and suitability not only not even second, but not even on the list.
Those who sense in Governor Palin a game-changer have not made their case because of Palin's undisciplined thinking and speaking. For example, there is a case to be made against Obama, but, as a Composition Teacher I recognize this type of statement:
"PALIN: Not ... not at all. Not, not calling him un-American. There is nothing wrong, though, with calling someone out on their record, their associations. In fact, Barack Obama challenged John McCain to do just that. He said, "If you have an issue with my association ... " with Bill Ayers, is what he said, that unrepentant domestic terrorist that campaigned to bomb our own United States Capitol and Pentagon, he said, "Talk to me about it in the debate." He, he called him out on it. So, McCain, he's not afraid of a fight. He's, you know, he, he's ready to do whatever he can to put his country first. So, he talked about it. The association, issue here, it's not mean-spirited. It's not negative campaigning. It's important and fair to the electorate."
Senator Biden owns the silly run-on sentence and crazy opinion, so Governor Palin should have paid royalties on this (and so much else that she says), but even in her free-association here she uses a word that undercuts HER case. Ayers did not "that campaign[...] to bomb our own United States Capitol and Pentagon", he committed that crime either as perpetrator or conspirator.
People could say, rightly, "Biden speaks in a worse and looser way," but have you ever heard a successful defense that is convincing that starts, "Others do worse"? If I rob a bank, would my lawyer say, "Yes, he is a bank robber, but what we really should be focusing on is those who prey on the elderly."
Please forgive the length and let me wish you more and better comments than me and much traffic.
George Will is basically a Tory, not a conservative. There really is a difference. The man is completely married into the Washington establishment.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of an aide accusing a principal of "going rogue" is fundamentally laughable. It is the candidate who runs the campaign and eventually rises or falls on his or her decisions. A complaining aide simply does not know his place.
Changeourdiscourse, There is a very large and important difference between Palin's vernacular and Joe Biden's facility for simply uttering convenient lies and fabrications on the fly. The man simply makes things up when he wishes. That's a little bit different from a run-on sentence.
Obama is bad for my small business.
ReplyDelete