In September's Atlantic Monthly, Matthew Scully begins a series deflating Michael Gerson, George W. Bush's putative speech writing genius. It seems many speeches Gerson supposedly wrote, and for which he took credit, were written by others.
Of course, in politics, taking credit for others' words is nothing new. Joe Biden's plagiarism of British Labor leader Neil Kinnock's speech comes to mind. But I bet you didn't know that Reagan/ Bush 41 speech writer Peggy Noonan, touted as an eloquent Conservative spokesperson, is little more than a plagiarizer. She lifted all her famous catch phrases, not only from the same author, Thomas Wolfe, but from the same book, "You Can't Go Home Again:"( 1.) "Morning in America," p. 384, (2.) "thousand points of light," p. 392 and (3.) "kinder, gentler," p. 570.
I believe I'm the only person to call her on this, whereas many people have criticized Biden. That's probably because Kinnock's speeches are on video, while Wolfe's lines are in a book. What does this say about Americans? That we don't read? That we give credit to people who don't deserve it? All I can say is: I can't believe these assholes are hailed as geniuses, when I can't even get a job!
Of course, in politics, taking credit for others' words is nothing new. Joe Biden's plagiarism of British Labor leader Neil Kinnock's speech comes to mind. But I bet you didn't know that Reagan/ Bush 41 speech writer Peggy Noonan, touted as an eloquent Conservative spokesperson, is little more than a plagiarizer. She lifted all her famous catch phrases, not only from the same author, Thomas Wolfe, but from the same book, "You Can't Go Home Again:"( 1.) "Morning in America," p. 384, (2.) "thousand points of light," p. 392 and (3.) "kinder, gentler," p. 570.
I believe I'm the only person to call her on this, whereas many people have criticized Biden. That's probably because Kinnock's speeches are on video, while Wolfe's lines are in a book. What does this say about Americans? That we don't read? That we give credit to people who don't deserve it? All I can say is: I can't believe these assholes are hailed as geniuses, when I can't even get a job!
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
Sad. We educated people try to appeal to the masses to make a change when current leaders and educational systems have already destroyed reason. We would have to stoop to their levels and inasmuch undermine our whole reason for revolution.
Ah, well, being a bum is becoming more and more enticing. Back to the age of beatniks and hippies!
And thanks for the well-wishes (and SG 2.0 I think was the best incarnation we've had... but this site still beats others I've checked out)
I suppose I should probably update that journal, huh?