Nicholas Kristof Wants to be a Virgin
24/10/05 21:07
In
his New York Times
column, Nicholas
Kristof writes:
"So I find myself repulsed by the glee that some Democrats show at the possibility of Karl Rove and Mr. Libby being dragged off in handcuffs. It was wrong for prosecutors to cook up borderline and technical indictments during the Clinton administration, and it would be just as wrong today."
About one million years ago I saw Bette Davis on a talk show. I can't recall which one. The conversation turned to lascivious producers and Davis was asked to counsel young actresses asked to lay on the notorious casting couch. "Go for it," Davis said. "You need to decide if you want to be a virgin, or an actress."
Too many democrats want to be virgins. They sing loudly of their own moral purity as they stand above the fray. Out of office, but above the fray. Politically impotent, but morally pure. It seems they expect their reward in heaven, instead of at the ballot box.
Unfortunately, the rest of us are playing for keeps--in this world. Democrats started loosing elections when they forgot how to throw a sucker punch. The Kennedy's knew how to rumble. So did LBJ. Politics in this country has never been a gentlemen's sport. The Baby Boom Merlot set who think they're too pretty to get bruised, that their Shakras will get marred, that they're too pure to get a little blood on their hands, need to get out of politics and go back to volunteering at soup kitchens. The "gentlemen democrats" who pounce on John Dean for being "mean," need to get on him because his barbs aren't sharp enough. He too often misses the heart (for instance his weak performance in relaying the gravity of the allegations facing various white house aides--exploited by the odious John Tierney in his NY Times column), and simply wounds.
Mr. Kristof. Everyone who's ever seen a horror film knows you don't wound the ghoul and walk away. When it's down, you kick it, stomp it, slit its throat. You do whatever you have to do to see that it doesn't get up again. That's the way the Republicans play. That's why they win.
"Well, I don't want to win that way," you may have the luxury to say. However, due to a disgusting bankruptcy bill there are people out there who will spend more of their lives in worry and want. Because of a war borne of lies, there are two thousand dead American soldiers, tens of thousands of innocent dead Iraqis, and countless widows and orphans and sonless mothers. American paychecks are shrinking and Black folks' incomes are falling even faster.
If you think reversing some of this is not worth getting a little dirty, then at least have the decency to shut up and get out of the way. The rest of us are due on stage. We have parts to play.
"So I find myself repulsed by the glee that some Democrats show at the possibility of Karl Rove and Mr. Libby being dragged off in handcuffs. It was wrong for prosecutors to cook up borderline and technical indictments during the Clinton administration, and it would be just as wrong today."
About one million years ago I saw Bette Davis on a talk show. I can't recall which one. The conversation turned to lascivious producers and Davis was asked to counsel young actresses asked to lay on the notorious casting couch. "Go for it," Davis said. "You need to decide if you want to be a virgin, or an actress."
Too many democrats want to be virgins. They sing loudly of their own moral purity as they stand above the fray. Out of office, but above the fray. Politically impotent, but morally pure. It seems they expect their reward in heaven, instead of at the ballot box.
Unfortunately, the rest of us are playing for keeps--in this world. Democrats started loosing elections when they forgot how to throw a sucker punch. The Kennedy's knew how to rumble. So did LBJ. Politics in this country has never been a gentlemen's sport. The Baby Boom Merlot set who think they're too pretty to get bruised, that their Shakras will get marred, that they're too pure to get a little blood on their hands, need to get out of politics and go back to volunteering at soup kitchens. The "gentlemen democrats" who pounce on John Dean for being "mean," need to get on him because his barbs aren't sharp enough. He too often misses the heart (for instance his weak performance in relaying the gravity of the allegations facing various white house aides--exploited by the odious John Tierney in his NY Times column), and simply wounds.
Mr. Kristof. Everyone who's ever seen a horror film knows you don't wound the ghoul and walk away. When it's down, you kick it, stomp it, slit its throat. You do whatever you have to do to see that it doesn't get up again. That's the way the Republicans play. That's why they win.
"Well, I don't want to win that way," you may have the luxury to say. However, due to a disgusting bankruptcy bill there are people out there who will spend more of their lives in worry and want. Because of a war borne of lies, there are two thousand dead American soldiers, tens of thousands of innocent dead Iraqis, and countless widows and orphans and sonless mothers. American paychecks are shrinking and Black folks' incomes are falling even faster.
If you think reversing some of this is not worth getting a little dirty, then at least have the decency to shut up and get out of the way. The rest of us are due on stage. We have parts to play.