"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

"Bittergate"? Puh-leeze!

From Andrew Sullivan:

I'm beginning to suspect that the only segment left in America that genuinely feels that elitism is a problem for Obama are ... the elites. How funny is that? And how fantastic if it is borne out in the actual voting.

The point is, anyone who is aware of what Real People are thinking knew that.

In a later post, Sullivan once again dissects Obama's comments, this time on the premise that Obama was presenting too limited a picture of religious experience. This, to me, is symptomatic of the problems with our political discourse. Short form: too much analysis.

Obama also mentioned guns, xenophobia, and resistance to international trade agreements. News flash: they're all complex issues, the speech wasn't about any one of them individually, so of course Obama's presenting them as facets. Sullivan:

When the world disappoints or disorients, the appeal of a more absolute and unquestioning faith as a rock in a storm is powerful. The key factors are not just economic stagnation but cultural loss and a lack of faith in the responsiveness of the relevant political institutions.

Sullivan turns the whole discussion into a diatribe against fundamentalism. (Well, in a well-bred, understated, academic, punditly sort of way. He saves his real diatribes for Clinton.) But the key factor here is in the second sentence above. Uh, Andrew -- that's what Obama was talking about. Did you miss that part?

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