The Greatest Man Alive

Having some trouble with my connectivity. The online kind. Why would you think I was referring to interpersonal skills? That’s very intrusive and presumptuous of you. Sometimes I feel that the respect and courtesy flow only one way in our relationship. What do you suppose it is in you that must always try to hurt me? Some trauma in your childhood? A substance abuse issue? I’d recommend counseling, but you never listen to me -- never really listen. You make me feel cheap, always putting up with your abuse. But someday things will be different. And yes, you know what I mean. Just what I mean.

So McCain took Florida. That simplifies matters. My guy was Giuliani -- not my ideological choice, but where does ideology get you? Into the concentration camps is where, either as inmate or guard. Anyway, now I can’t be blamed for what happens. It’s not my fault. My guy isn’t making the decisions. It’s a relief, really.

Was Giuliani an idiot for using that strategy? -- of betting all his marbles on Florida? In part it was a result of limited resources, but McCain ran out of funds and kept going. It was a gamble that he lost. So goes it. I wanted him because he was such a great mayor. That doesn’t mean he was a great politician, or a great campaign planner. No, they are not essential skills for great leadership. Look at bill clinton.

clinton was a fantastic politician -- whatever it is that such a thing is. I say “was” a great politician. Now he can’t open his mouth without receiving oral sex. And you know what I mean. Don’t make me draw a picture. Is he doing it on purpose? Being a master of psychology as I am, I feel fully qualified to inform you that there are dark forces working in that man’s soul, such as it is. And you know what I mean. It’s almost like he’s trying to lose. Lose for his wife. It’s complex. You’d think he’d be able to bridle himself enough to get back into the White House. But he’s not renowned for his self-control, or his judgment.

His political talent -- one can hardly call it a skill -- must have been entirely intuitive. Intuition is so very subject to unconscious forces. He can’t help himself. Like a few days ago when he explained away Hillary’s loss in South Caroline by saying jesse jackson had won that state in ’84 and ’88. You know, like, because jackson is a colored man, see? Just like Obama is, a colored man. Giddit? Them South Carolinians go for the coloreds. If it were the first time, or if it were rare, it would be nothing. It’s a pattern. So much for clinton being the first black president. He’s only black when he’s actually in power. The rest of the time he’s just a good old boy with a knack for slapping backs, or whatever his political talent is. I’ll get back to you on that -- I don’t want to think about it right now.

As for Giuliani, his skill was in getting fantastic results. We really could have used that. As it seems now, we’ll get these … not second-raters, but run-of-the-millers. McCain is unremarkable. In terms of leadership or desirable achievements. A phenomenal character, what with that Hanoi Hilton thing 40 years ago. I’d want him as my commanding officer if I were a POW. The United States is not a POW. We need other virtues in our leaders than an iron will to not yield to torture. I should say, we need additional virtues.

He’s like Bob Dole in ’96. His time has come -- he’s earned it. Except his time did not come, and being a party loyalist doesn’t earn anything exceptional, and certainly not the highest position of power in the world. I’m speaking of both Dole and McCain, here, except that McCain is not even a party loyalist. (When I saw those two old white men, Dole and Kemp, I just knew clinton would win. But remember, the only reason clinton won, either time, was that Perot siphoned off more votes from the right than from the left.)

But I was talking about Giuliani. Of the lot, he’s earned it, by his record. Hillary? We’ve been over that dusty old road -- I’m using a metaphor. Obama? Phenomenal speaker. He’s a phobamanon. But inspiration doesn’t get a job done. Doing the job gets it done. What has Obama actually done? -- that’s not just personal resume stuff, I mean. He’s an accomplished individual. That’s as much as to say nothing. What we want is accomplished accomplishments. He should have run for governor. That’s a track record we could gauge and be impressed with, or not.

Somebody asked me that if it came down to it, who’d I chose, Obama or Hillary. Of course Obama. He couldn’t be worse than Hillary, and he might be better. But it will be Hillary. That machine. I’d hope I’m wrong -- cuz she’s double-dipping. And think about the damage those two are doing, the clintons. They made it about race, and of course about gender. I don’t know it, but I’d expect it’s annoyed a fair number of blacks. It’s cheap. It’s ugly and wrong. How will she lure the blacks back onto the Democrat plantation? Obama as VP. I do think he’d take it -- it’s the national platform he wants for his own chance. Bush pere did it. If Obama does win the nomination, Hillary brings nothing to the ticket. Someone was saying he should choose Richardson, who is, despite the name, somehow Hispanic. The big point was that Hispanics won’t vote for a black man. I don’t know. I vote for ideas and capabilities, not for melanin or genital configuration.

To default position then. Romney. At least he's pretty. He wasn't a bad governor. It's just that he's just another politician -- an ambitious, self-seeking egoist who imagines he's the man to lead the world. Haven't we seen enough of that?

King George III was raving about having lost the Colonies, and about how angry he was with George Washington. He said something to the effect that Washington would regret his power -- the crown does not rest lightly on any man's head. An adviser told the king that Washington planned to disband the American army and return to private life. George III started visibly, and said in an amazed and awed voice, "If he does that, he is the greatest man alive."

Crowns are bitter, but power is sweet. We need leaders who are not about appetite.


J