Dwayne Monroe wrote:
>
> Dorene:
>
> ...my standards are low, about the level of that bumper sticker that
> says "We need a President who is literate in at least one language."
>
> Condi is literate in at least two. That unfortunately does not make up
> for her boss, but....
>
> [...]
>
> ...
>
> It's interesting that you inserted that line about her cleverness not
> 'making up for her boss'. It's interesting because it suggests that
> she doesn't share equal responsibility and is, maybe, not as odious a
> person. What's implied (and maybe just implied and perhaps, not your
> intention at all) is that she isn't a true believer, isn't a war lord.
I am of course in complete agreement with Dwayne on this. I wish to add a couple footnotes.
I was _als_ greatly disturbed by the demand for a "literate" president.
It is almost obscene to ascribe any aspect of the murderous foeign and domestic policies of the Bush Adminnistration to the alleged "illiteracy" or lack of intelligence exhibited by Bush. This in itself exhibits a serious lack of understanding. It simply is not possible to judge the "intelligence" (assuming such an abstract entity exists) of anyone with whom one does not have a direct relationship, and even in the latter case judgments are usually wrong.
It is equally a manifestation of poor understanding to believe that one can measure the "literacy" (whateer that means) of a public figure by his/her speech, writing,etc. Over 50 years ago Eisenhower prepared to announce a policy (I forget the details) that was expected to arouse oppositio. He told his press secretary not to worry; he would simply "dumb it up." All through Eisenhower's presidency there was continual mockery of his literacy and by implication of his intelligence. I joined inn that mockery at the time. But obviously Eisenhower was a remarably sophisticated intelligence and a master of rhetoric.
But worse. Dorene's estimation of the importance of "literacy" is almost obscene. Goerign was very literate, as is Codi. Can mass murder be justified by the alleged "literacy" of the murderer.
There is nno reasonn a president's 'style' need be pleasing to free-floating itnellectuals having fun from the sidelines. There is a need for political serouslness by alleged leftists, and seriousness inovolves above all some sense of priority, of decorum (by which I mean some balance in one's sense of relevant features of the political process and its agents).
Carrol