There was an old joke back in the Cold War:
Proud American to Russian guy: ”In my country every one of us has the right to criticize our president.”
Russian guy: ”Same here. In my country every one of us has the right to criticize your president.”
That seems to be the way John Kerry likes it. Americans should be free to call Bush a moron, a liar, a fraud, a deserter, an agent of the House of Saud, a mass murderer, a mass rapist (according to the speaker at a National Organization for Women rally last week) and the new Hitler (according to just about everyone). But how dare anyone be so impertinent as to insult John Kerry! No one has the right to insult Kerry, except possibly Teresa, and only on the day she gives him his allowance.
No one has questioned his patriotism. No one. Not even Zell Miller, who seems to have scared the hell out of even the blogosphere’s toughest pundits. So scared are they, that they had to bring out their race-baiting early. How else to explain the dixiecrat slurs, despite the fact that race was never mentioned in Miller’s speech. Kerry’s patriotism was, however. When Zell Miller praised it.
If the Democrats and whatever the hell Andrew Sullivan is these days want to know why they have permanently lost the south, they may ask themselves a simple question:
“Why do I think everyone with a southern accent is un-reconstructed racist?”
Terry
Doesn’t it seem a little odd that pundits, such as Al Hunt, rant on about Zell’s alleged “racist background,” when one heard not a single peep from them back when Miller was the Keynoter at Clinton’s 1992 convention? On reflection, I guess not…hypocrisy is the number one virtue of most liberal fools.
Russell Wardlow
I especially like the fact that racist ramblings by Miller 40 years ago, and repudiated by him 35 years ago, are eternally unforgivable, yet John Kerry’s consciously calculated and dishonest slander against the military 23 years ago, and NEVER repudiated, is not to be mentioned – EVER! – because otherwise, you’re questioning his patriotism.
Rick
Russell,
That is an excellent point. So excellent, I suppose we won’t see pj or Far North or Oregroanian or AJ Lazarus swoop in with a stunning riposte.
Something stoopid, maybe. Like on the other threads.
Cordially…
capt joe
On the other hand, we have Sen Byrd who used the N word this century and was a clansman last centrut held up as a hero by those same morons.
hypocrisy
Matt Welch
My longer case for fearing the governing party’s enthusastic response to Zell’s illiberal remarks is here:
http://www.reason.com/convention/2004/09/zells_hell.shtml#000135
And FWIW, I’m not a Democrat, and I don’t think southerners are defitionally racist (though I have no time for ex-segregationists who currently hold national office, regardless of party).
Freud
Where have you guys been? What has been going on for quite some time now if not the subtle and not so subtle conditioning that less than 100% support of the President is unpatriotic? Oh, you guys get the *wink* references and programmatically say *snicker*, well loooordy no, that’s just not so. An understanding of Republicans is gained only through an examination of their denials.
Francis W. Porretto
Jesus H. Christ and His All-Girl Orchestra! Matt Welch has “no time” for ex-segregationists? No time for people who’ve admitted they were wrong about a vital issue? No time for politicians who’ve done the rarest and hardest thing a politician can do: concede a grievous error?
If that’s the case, I have no time for Matt Welch.
Rick
Hey Freud, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. And that’s as apropos a statement as that tangled mess you left here.
I know English isn’t your first language, but *please!*
Cordially…
LB
The Bush bounce has made liberals bitter. Have you read the NYT today? Frank Rich has written a very bitter article. Made me cringe. I linked to it from my blog.
John Cole
Matt- I read that, and expected my readdrs would as itwas linked toin the post I linked to.
At any rate, there are plenty of reasons for why you didn’t like the speech, including:
“There’s plenty more in the speech worth criticizing — I didn’t even talk about how creepy he looked and sounded! — but even though this city never sleeps, I sure need to.”
Except, whoops. you just did mention how creepy he looks. Sneaky you.
I am still waiting for why you are calling him a racist, when he never was a dixiecrat, is not an unreconstructed racist. Is it the Souther accent?
van
As a Southerner, I think most of feel that the rest of the country views us as those rednecks in Deliverence. Although there are some stereotypical folks here, there are rednecks everywhere. The New South is not that much different than the Old South. We are more racially tolerant. However, as Zell Miller has come to find out, the Democrats left the South. We really did not change that much. The reason the Republicans are gaining in the South is because they are more like the Democratic Party of the 1960s. There are many parallels. When the Democrats move back from the fringe, then things will become exciting.
ed
Hmmm.
Ok Matt. Read it. Didn’t think you understood Zell’s points.
1. When Zell mentioned that FDR stated that “all private plans were suspended”, he was using that as preparation to describe the extent of Wilkie’s sacrifice. That Wilkie suspended his desire for the Presidency in order to advance the nation’s needs. So in typical fashion you completely misunderstood that portion of the speech and applied it to you. Zell wasn’t saying that YOU, Matt, had to suspend your private plans. Zell was pointing out that, in a time of war and crisis, politicians have placed the good of the nation above their own petty aspirations.
Something that Democrats really have no understanding.
2. You know, this isn’t worth my time to finish. In order for me to illustrate all the nonsense in that article I’d have to write another article, and I won’t hijack someone else’s blog for this.
Frankly if that’s the best you’re capable of Mr. Welch, I’m not impressed.
Try harder next time and don’t bore me again.
ed
Hmmm.
“rednecks”
Frankly “redneck” is a state of mind. I grew up in New Hampshire and, aside from the seasons and the accent, you couldn’t tell the difference between the deep south and my home town.
Freud
Per ed, “Something that Democrats really have no understanding.” Something = “placed the good of the nation above their own petty aspirations” = suspend[ing their] desire for the Presidency in order to advance the nation’s needs”. I rest my case.
CadillaqJaq
RE: Wendall Wilkie- I grew up in a mid-Michigan “redneck” blue collar family comprised of straight ticket Democrats (God! How they loved FDR!)
As a pre-teen youngster, I heard Wilkie speak several times on the radio and saw him on news reels. Even at that tender age I liked what he had to say and was convinced that being a Wilkie Republican might not be all that bad. For that matter, being a Zell Miller Democrat might not be all that bad either.
Now, where’s Bronco Nagurski?
Dean
One wonders:
Had it been Sam Nunn (w/ a much softer GA accent) or Scoop Jackson making this speech, would it have made one bit of difference? And, except for the tone, do you think these people would view the situation that differently?
Is there really a Scoop Jackson wing left in the Democratic Party?
RW
Yes.
They’re voting for Bush.