Conservative writer David Brooks

[Kelly the Dog]

One of the best writers/social observers there is on the political scene... offered up these morsels today...

 

[sarah Palin] represents a fatal cancer to the Republican party. When I first started in journalism, I worked at the National Review for Bill Buckley. And Buckley famously said he'd rather be ruled by the first 2,000 names in the Boston phone book than by the Harvard faculty. But he didn't think those were the only two options. He thought it was important to have people on the conservative side who celebrated ideas, who celebrated learning. And his whole life was based on that, and that was also true for a lot of the other conservatives in the Reagan era. Reagan had an immense faith in the power of ideas. But there has been a counter, more populist tradition, which is not only to scorn liberal ideas but to scorn ideas entirely. And I'm afraid that Sarah Palin has those prejudices. I think President Bush has those prejudices.

 

Obama has the great intellect. I was interviewing Obama a couple years ago, and I'm getting nowhere with the interview, it's late in the night, he's on the phone, walking off the Senate floor, he's cranky. Out of the blue I say, 'Ever read a guy named Reinhold Niebuhr?' And he says, 'Yeah.' So i say, 'What did Niebuhr mean to you?' For the next 20 minutes, he gave me a perfect description of Reinhold Niebuhr's thought, which is a very subtle thought process based on the idea that you have to use power while it corrupts you. And I was dazzled, I felt the tingle up my knee as Chris Matthews would say.

 

And the other thing that does separate Obama from just a pure intellectual: he has tremendous powers of social perception. And this is why he's a politician, not an academic. A couple of years ago, I was writing columns attacking the Republican congress for spending too much money. And I throw in a few sentences attacking the Democrats to make myself feel better. And one morning I get an email from Obama saying, 'David, if you wanna attack us, fine, but you're only throwing in those sentences to make yourself feel better.' And it was a perfect description of what was going through my mind. And everybody who knows Obama all have these stories to tell about his capacity for social perception.

 

I am for Obama because I'm sick of dumb people in the White House, and that may include Bill Clinton, who is intellectually and politically brilliant, but just as often a moron.

[Lurker]

I am for Obama because I'm sick of dumb people in the White House, and that may include Bill Clinton, who is intellectually and politically brilliant, but just as often a moron.

Me too, KTFBD.

 

I'm a disenfranchised Reagan Republican Over the past decade, both parties have become WWE smackdown cartoons pandering to the lowest common denominator.

 

IMO, McCain is a stupid, arrogant and reckless 72-year old kid cut from the same cloth as Dubya. While I'm concerned by Obama's lack of experience, I'm willing to cross my fingers and pull the lever for him based on his intelligence and capacity to learn/get better, whereas McCain can only get worse (much worse). And don't even mention Palin....

[John Adams]

Lurker: what you said of McCain really true to me. I'd pile on by adding that his choice of Palin is almost akin to treason. I don't think he finds her to be a good running mate for one second but instead chose her to pander to the super-Jesus demo. That he'd be willing to sell out to such a low, low level to do that is abhorrent. If he wanted to sell out, there were better choices.

 

Not sure I can vote for Obama but he's brighter.

[BillsNYC]

I can deal with intelligence in the White House....I just can't deal with radicalism on either end in there.

[Steely Dan]

One of the best writers/social observers there is on the political scene... offered up these morsels today...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am for Obama because I'm sick of dumb people in the White House, and that may include Bill Clinton, who is intellectually and politically brilliant, but just as often a moron.

 

In today's America Bill Buckley is a liberal. So is Buchanon and Will. The Republican's are as far to the right as they can get in this society, God I hope I'm wrong. I forget who said it here but I thought it was a good summation. They said they voted Republican because they favored fiscal responsibility but the party has morphed into a party strictly touting social conservatism.

 

 

Me too, KTFBD.

 

I'm a disenfranchised Reagan Republican Over the past decade, both parties have become WWE smackdown cartoons pandering to the lowest common denominator.

 

IMO, McCain is a stupid, arrogant and reckless 72-year old kid cut from the same cloth as Dubya. While I'm concerned by Obama's lack of experience, I'm willing to cross my fingers and pull the lever for him based on his intelligence and capacity to learn/get better, whereas McCain can only get worse (much worse). And don't even mention Palin....

 

Palin was a huge success for a week after her addition to the ticket. I've never seen anyone political get that kind of hype before. Then she opened her mouth and a lot people said: "Oh my God!" she could eventually become President.

[Steely Dan]

I can deal with intelligence in the White House....I just can't deal with radicalism on either end in there.

 

It used to be there was such a thing as conservatives, liberals and moderates. The Republicans have changed that to conservatives and liberals. I have no idea how they define a moderate other than someone who agrees very close to 99% with them.

 

Somebody laughed really hard and thought I was out of my mind for calling The Wall Street Journal a conservative paper and they referred to CNN as the Communist News Network.

[Bill from NYC]

I am for Obama because I'm sick of dumb people in the White House, and that may include Bill Clinton, who is intellectually and politically brilliant, but just as often a moron.

 

If Hillary was running, would you be for her? She isn't a moron, or so it would seem.

 

Edit: I am not a McCain supporter.

[molson_golden2002]

One of the best writers/social observers there is on the political scene... offered up these morsels today...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am for Obama because I'm sick of dumb people in the White House, and that may include Bill Clinton, who is intellectually and politically brilliant, but just as often a moron.

It's been a real frustrating eight years. And the stupidity in the White House has been matched by stupidity outside of it supporting the stupid decisions made in it. Bush was like the death of common sense

[Lurker]

It used to be there was such a thing as conservatives, liberals and moderates. The Republicans have changed that to conservatives and liberals. I have no idea how they define a moderate other than someone who agrees very close to 99% with them.

I think the complexity of modern life is to blame for the polarization. With so much to know, and so much of it changing so quickly, it puts more of a burden on people to think and interpret. Given the increasing mental sloth of the general public, it's simply easier to make a snap 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' decision (like the Romans used to do) and arrange your worldview so it's nice, comfortable and non-threatening to your status quo.

 

Who needs those namby pamby moderates, anyway.

[molson_golden2002]

Lurker: what you said of McCain really true to me. I'd pile on by adding that his choice of Palin is almost akin to treason. I don't think he finds her to be a good running mate for one second but instead chose her to pander to the super-Jesus demo. That he'd be willing to sell out to such a low, low level to do that is abhorrent. If he wanted to sell out, there were better choices.

 

Not sure I can vote for Obama but he's brighter.

What's positively scary is that when she was first picked McCain went ahead in the polls.

[Kelly the Dog]

If Hillary was running, would you be for her? She isn't a moron, or so it would seem.

 

Edit: I am not a McCain supporter.

No, I was for Obama over Hillary, whom I believe to be very smart, but also a frequent liar who says things even she doesn't believe one bit at times, and will stoop to depths I cannot support. A lot like Bill, but worse.

[Bill from NYC]

What's positively scary is that when she was first picked McCain went ahead in the polls.

 

Does it scare you that your party of idiots almost nominated Hillary?

[molson_golden2002]

I think the complexity of modern life is to blame for the polarization. With so much to know, and so much of it changing so quickly, it puts more of a burden on people to think and interpret. Given the increasing mental sloth of the general public, it's simply easier to make a snap 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' decision (like the Romans used to do) and arrange your worldview so it's nice, comfortable and non-threatening to your status quo.

 

Who needs those namby pamby moderates, anyway.

Which reminds me, where has Ann Coulter been recently?

 

She was actually considered a legimate political commentator not long ago.

[molson_golden2002]

Does it scare you that your party of idiots almost nominated Hillary?

Ummm...no. Not at all

[Bill from NYC]

Ummm...no. Not at all

 

Your credibility is zero.

[blzrul]

Me too, KTFBD.

 

I'm a disenfranchised Reagan Republican Over the past decade, both parties have become WWE smackdown cartoons pandering to the lowest common denominator.

 

IMO, McCain is a stupid, arrogant and reckless 72-year old kid cut from the same cloth as Dubya. While I'm concerned by Obama's lack of experience, I'm willing to cross my fingers and pull the lever for him based on his intelligence and capacity to learn/get better, whereas McCain can only get worse (much worse). And don't even mention Palin....

I was asked by a Reagan Republican the other night whether I didn't think Obama was somewhat inexperienced for the job. She doesn't like McCain and I could see she was struggling with how to reconcile herself to the thought of voting for the "opposition".

 

I told her that Obama is a pragmatic man who is smart enough to know where his strengths lie, and man enough to admit his shortcomings and act accordingly. That's the difference between him and GWB and, I guess, McCain. Choosing Joe Biden was not a brilliant political move - there are probably other choices which would have been more politicially expedient. But Biden has a great deal of foreign policy experience, which Obama admittedly lacks. And I think their working styles are complementary - they seem to like each other and have good communications. GWB pals around with Daddy's friends and his cronies, whether qualified or not, and we the people pay the price. I expressed to this woman my confidence that Obama, like any good manager/leader, would seek and tap good people - the best people he could, and that's why I felt good about him. Right now in America, we have no leadership. Fear and intolerance lead us.

 

She started nodding and then said - "yes, I think you are right. As a nurse I recognized in Reagan the early symptoms of Alzheimers, but because he'd pulled together a team of people that had experience in their areas of responsibility, I wasn't worried about the overall competency of the government as the disease progressed."

 

A weak, ignorant and arrogant leader can be used and taken advantage of. A strong, intelligent leader who will listen to opposing points of view, be open to change, and not feel threatened by the strengths of others, is what we need. Do I think Obama has all the answers? Nope. Do I think he's driven to find them, and is smart enough to be creative and intelligent, with an eye toward doing the right thing for the country? Yep.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I can deal with intelligence in the White House....I just can't deal with radicalism on either end in there.

 

Would you classify Bush and Palin as radical?

[elegantelliotoffen]

Lurker: what you said of McCain really true to me. I'd pile on by adding that his choice of Palin is almost akin to treason. I don't think he finds her to be a good running mate for one second but instead chose her to pander to the super-Jesus demo. That he'd be willing to sell out to such a low, low level to do that is abhorrent. If he wanted to sell out, there were better choices.

 

Not sure I can vote for Obama but he's brighter.

 

Did you hear Stern say last week how he wasn't sure if he wanted to vote for Obama but he felt he was forced to now because of Sarah Palin?

[blzrul]

Would you classify Bush and Palin as radical?

Extremist .... extremely extremist.

[Steely Dan]

I think the complexity of modern life is to blame for the polarization. With so much to know, and so much of it changing so quickly, it puts more of a burden on people to think and interpret. Given the increasing mental sloth of the general public, it's simply easier to make a snap 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' decision (like the Romans used to do) and arrange your worldview so it's nice, comfortable and non-threatening to your status quo.

 

Who needs those namby pamby moderates, anyway.

 

 

Also, Nixon, Ford and Goldwater would be considered liberal in today's society.

 

 

Your credibility is zero.

 

Does it scare you that the Republicans actually nominated GDB twice?