I liked the Rudy post - I find myself somewhat tongue-tied in explaining to people exactly why he was so despicable, and end up going for awful things he said, which don't have quite the impact of stupid, stupid things he did like putting his emergency headquarters, including a huge tank of fuel, in a known terrorist target.
(Actual conversation between myself and Buck, early in our relationship:
5: Derailed that one time, but not only admirably funny, but necessary relationship business.
My relationship w/ my wife was in about its third week for the Reagan/Carter debate. I only remember one. We agreed that Carter not only answered the questions better, but spoke to what the government could do, not what the government meant in a vision of America. However, while I made it plain I was supporting Carter, and I believe she ended up voting for John Anderson — now there was a meaningful gesture — I almost talked myself outside by saying that I could nonetheless feel Reagan's appeal.
"However, while I made it plain I was supporting Carter, and I believe she ended up voting for John Anderson — now there was a meaningful gesture..."
I crossed over to vote for Anderson in the Republican caucuses in Seattle (resulting in Dave Horsey's editorial cartoon in the Seattle Times the next day being of me and my sweetie caricatured to look even more hippieish than we did saying to a prune-faced Republican old lady caricature with a clipboard at the Republican caucuses "Why, yes, we're life-long Republicans,", but I digress), but switched back to vote for Carter in the general election, of course.
We did -- others like us, of course -- making a good showing for Anderson in Seattle, but inevitably not in the rest of the state; it was all completely predictable.
Carter's re-election died with the C-130 and helicopter crash at Desert One.
It's interesting to reread his so-called "malaise" speech (he never used the word -- he spoke of a "spiritual crisis") to see his energy proposals in context of current times.
I still think Carter was a pretty good President. Especially compared to all the Republicans after him.
I agree by and large about Carter. That election was a watershed in my political maturation, because I saw the country preferred to deny problems rather than try to come to grips with them. For those of you, practically everybody, too young to remember, it must be surprising to think that someone in his late twenties could ever have thought that wouldn't be true. That measures the distance between then and now, I think.
I was thinking about that after reading the piece about the war on terror, not! that apo posted today, and that B has picked up. A few people, I remember Hendrik Hertzberg, said we need a law-enforcement model within a few months of 911. But even most people, many of us, I think, who have privately thought so for years now have known better than to expect any "leaders" to say so.
1980 was actually the first presidential election I got to vote in; I was born on November 5th, 1958, the day after election day, so in 1976 I missed being eligible to vote by three days. Very frustrating. Especially since I had been an intensely political newsjunkie since ~1967 and particularly 1968.
What?! So you've been reading Farber's blog all along?
Posted by The Modesto Kid | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 9:00 AM
Don't believe him; he's an asshole.
Relevant post here. Morning Haditha round-up here.
Other posts in their right and proper place. Robespierre! No Gun Ri! Estate tax! Insane Ted Nugent! Runaway British cheese injuries! X-men comments. Silly article recommendations for reading. Lying White House domestic advisors. Comics writers talk. News of another Blade Runner cut. Private planes with air to ground missiles. Robotic octopus arms and turtles. Bloggers rights protected. More Snakes On A Plane. Slagging Rudy.
The blather and crap never stops!
We now return to your normally scheduled programming.
Posted by Gary Farber | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 10:28 AM
what's all this nonsense? Gary Farber doesn't have a blog.
Posted by text | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 10:32 AM
text, I think they're referring to the Unfogged comments section.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 10:34 AM
I liked the Rudy post - I find myself somewhat tongue-tied in explaining to people exactly why he was so despicable, and end up going for awful things he said, which don't have quite the impact of stupid, stupid things he did like putting his emergency headquarters, including a huge tank of fuel, in a known terrorist target.
(Actual conversation between myself and Buck, early in our relationship:
LB: Talk dirty to me.
Buck: I voted for Giuliani.
Kinda derailed the sex there.)
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 10:36 AM
Hello,
nice site
Posted by Armsmasher | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 11:20 AM
I was hoping the runaway cheese story would be more like a scene from Mason & Dixon.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 11:45 AM
5: Derailed that one time, but not only admirably funny, but necessary relationship business.
My relationship w/ my wife was in about its third week for the Reagan/Carter debate. I only remember one. We agreed that Carter not only answered the questions better, but spoke to what the government could do, not what the government meant in a vision of America. However, while I made it plain I was supporting Carter, and I believe she ended up voting for John Anderson — now there was a meaningful gesture — I almost talked myself outside by saying that I could nonetheless feel Reagan's appeal.
Posted by I don't pay | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 11:57 AM
"However, while I made it plain I was supporting Carter, and I believe she ended up voting for John Anderson — now there was a meaningful gesture..."
I crossed over to vote for Anderson in the Republican caucuses in Seattle (resulting in Dave Horsey's editorial cartoon in the Seattle Times the next day being of me and my sweetie caricatured to look even more hippieish than we did saying to a prune-faced Republican old lady caricature with a clipboard at the Republican caucuses "Why, yes, we're life-long Republicans,", but I digress), but switched back to vote for Carter in the general election, of course.
We did -- others like us, of course -- making a good showing for Anderson in Seattle, but inevitably not in the rest of the state; it was all completely predictable.
Carter's re-election died with the C-130 and helicopter crash at Desert One.
It's interesting to reread his so-called "malaise" speech (he never used the word -- he spoke of a "spiritual crisis") to see his energy proposals in context of current times.
I still think Carter was a pretty good President. Especially compared to all the Republicans after him.
Posted by Gary Farber | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 12:45 PM
I swear I've seen the story in 5 before, but I just read every thread where the word "Giuliani" appears in the unfogged archive, and it ain't there.
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 1:34 PM
Comments on another blog, maybe? I have a limited repetoire of anecdotes, so the same ones show up often.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 1:37 PM
I could swear to the same thing as w/d.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 1:38 PM
I could, but I won't.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 1:39 PM
Carter's re-election died with the C-130 and helicopter crash at Desert One.
Sadly true. Gas prices didn't help either, but that was the crowning blow.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 1:39 PM
I agree by and large about Carter. That election was a watershed in my political maturation, because I saw the country preferred to deny problems rather than try to come to grips with them. For those of you, practically everybody, too young to remember, it must be surprising to think that someone in his late twenties could ever have thought that wouldn't be true. That measures the distance between then and now, I think.
I was thinking about that after reading the piece about the war on terror, not! that apo posted today, and that B has picked up. A few people, I remember Hendrik Hertzberg, said we need a law-enforcement model within a few months of 911. But even most people, many of us, I think, who have privately thought so for years now have known better than to expect any "leaders" to say so.
Posted by I don't pay | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 3:36 PM
1980 was actually the first presidential election I got to vote in; I was born on November 5th, 1958, the day after election day, so in 1976 I missed being eligible to vote by three days. Very frustrating. Especially since I had been an intensely political newsjunkie since ~1967 and particularly 1968.
Posted by Gary Farber | Link to this comment | 05-31-06 8:01 PM