Why GOP embraces simpletons and how it hurts America

Gore's record at Vanderbilt Divinity actually does look a lot like my college career:

Looks like a lot of F's to me.

Not even sure why they let him into the Law School after that.

 

The U.S. Constitution is currently one of the oldest government-framework documents still in mandatory use in the world. If not the oldest.

 

You can't look at the Constitution as something the founders thought was the best possible approach. Rather, this was the best possible approach that the founders thought they could get the states to sign off on.

 

Barry Obama has accomplished getting hired, never actually getting something accomplished. So if you want to edit his CV for truth, I'll help.
And lots stop calling Newt intelligent and smart. He's demonstrated nothing other than an ability to string a couple of sentences together on various topics. Not actually saying anything of import, just saying it with confidence. I've found his insights rather pedestrian and predictable.

 

I just disagree with you. Even liberals who have dealt with him one on one have come away impressed with his intellect.

I think you've bought into a liberal/media/liberal media impression of the man.

Maybe he didn't help his own cause. As Az points out, he didn't sell his intellect. Doesn't mean he's a dummy. The goal of politician is to get elected. GWB's record is pretty good in that regard. (Against much "smarter" opponents in every case -- according to the conventional wisdom.)

 

I'm not necessarily even disagreeing with your assessment of Newt.

My point it is that he owes his support to the belief that he's "smart", not because he's a simpleton.

 

Agree to disagree. But yeah, for where the perception came about that he isn't very smart, he has no farther to look than his own campaign.

 

There's a difference between intellectual capacity and what what LTL talks about, "intellectual curiosity." I do think people come away from Bush feeling like he's not dull. He just isn't motivated to be well-versed, particularly for someone in his position. that's the common observation. Two different things.

 

In the run-up to the 2000 election, my older daughter (then a first-grader ... now she's a senior!) brought home some elementary school election guide. One of the questions they asked both Bush and Gore was something along the lines of "Where do you like to watch baseball?" Gore's answer droned on and on about this that and the other thing -- the "marvels of technology" and the "beauty of tradition." I'm not kidding, it was probably 150 words long. Bush's was on the order of, "These new stadiums are nice, but I prefer to go to baseball games outside."

 

Now these are solid thoughts, and far more relevant to the actual point of the thread topic than all the nonsensical "who has the snobbier school/degree/grades" bullshit between Dick and others earlier in this thread. American conservativism certainly has turned in a more simplistic populist minded direction, and I doubt many of its intellectual fathers like Buckley would approve.

 

I love George W. Bush talking about baseball. I don't know if he could be commissioner, but he certainly does love the game.

 

Beat this: