Have you noticed John McCain's tendency to inject the phrase 'my friends' liberally (pun intended) throughout his speeches? To quote them in text would bore you to tears, so I encourage you to listen to this clip
Why does he do it? Has the king no advisors willing to tell him that he has no clothes? Here are some thoughts that spring to mind every time I hear McCain's "my friends" mantra:
1. insincere
2. trite
3. banal
4. desperate
5. artificial
6. repetitive
7. irritating
8. insipid
9. platitudinous
10. boring
11. disingenuous (I'll do anything to work that word into a conversation)
12. meretricious
13. never had a real friend
Oh yes, and he attaches that pasted-on phony smile at the same time. Does he really believe that we cannot see through this facade? The not-so-subliminal message he sends is that his words cannot be fully trusted. Granted, most politicians tend towards the insincere and self-serving. So why does McCain insist on driving this fact home in every speech?
Good grief, Charlie Brown, I've just experienced an epiphany! Just as the 1984 Democratic Party presidential candidate Walter Mondale repeated in his speeches that he would be an honest politician and admit that he planned to raise our taxes (editors note: Mondale only carried his home state of Minnesota), so McCain's 'straight-talk express' is training (pun again intended) us to closely read between his lines and parse every word to find out what he is actually saying. Sounds like fun, kids!
Maybe Minnesota will again buck the trend and give McCain a victory in that state, annointing him President of Minnesota. Further memo to McCain: it gets mighty chilly up north. Oh, what's that...you haven't visited Minnesota in over two years? And you expect to be President?
Friday, June 13, 2008
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14 comments:
OK, I thought I had a good grasp of big words, but... You got me on number 12, what?????
My friend, you should relax a little and not get so riled up over phrases!! As long as you have a grasp of the meaning of the message then you are on your way to understanding the candidate. In the words of another famous Presidential candidate, Ralph Nadar, "Buckle up"!
To paraphrase something I read once, "Give a man a fish, and he'll have a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids today. Teach a man how to look up words in an on-line dictionary, and he'll never again be two cans short of a six-pack." Therefore, I refer you to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/meretricious
But because I'm such a nice guy, I will admit that I chose the following meaning for meretricious: based on pretense, deception, or insincerity.
1. alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry.
2. based on pretense, deception, or insincerity.
3. pertaining to or characteristic of a prostitute.
Based upon all shown meanings of the word I don't think this adjective really applies to Mr. Mac.
May I direct wayne in pa to number one on my list: insincere. How is 'insincerity' not related to 'insincere'?
Your prior comment on "Ralph Nadar" lost impact as you misspelled his surname. It is 'Nader'. Or, given his actual function as a drainer away of votes from Democratic Party presidential candidates, the correct spelling should obviously be 'Nadir".
I read gooder then I spell. But grammer is my strongliest part of my English skills.
Mr. Thinker, there is always room for candidates who don't fit in the Democrat or Republican camps. And it is because we live in a "Democracy" that ordinary folks like me can vote for these "other" candidates. It is not to drain votes from either party but a function of freedom of choice in the electoral process. Ask the folks in Zimbabwe about the freedom to choose their President. How about the "yes or no" election that good old Saddam of Iraq held? Nadar, Nader, potato, potatoe, must you be so bitter?????
tank yu, cen, for klariffieing da mater sew guud. eye cuud knot half sed itt know bedder mice-elf.
I agree that minor political parties have their place in our republic (we are a republic, not a democracy). I have indeed voted for their candidates on occasion.
My comment on Ralph Nader was meant to convey the bitterness I feel towards the fact that in 2000, in Florida, Bush received 2,909,176 votes, Gore 2,907,451 votes, and Nader 96,837 votes. Since Nader's positions were much closer to Gore's than Bush's, it is apparent that he pulled more votes from Gore than he did from Bush, thereby being instrumental in bringing Bush into the White House.
"Must (I) be so bitter?" Yes. Why? There is a fine line between sarcastic punditry and bitterness. As the world appears to be facing severe hardships in the near future, I find mere 'sarcastic punditry' to be a luxury I cannot afford. Bitterness is more effective in stirring people's emotions, and in moving their hands away from the remote control and towards getting involved in activities more likely to right the ships of state.
There will be time enough, after the world regains its proper equilibrium, for me to set aside 'Bitter Analysis' and embrace 'It's a Small World After All".
I agree we are a Republic. The world regaining its proper equilibrium? Who determines that? And what is it? You may be bitter for a very long time!!!!
I determine that.
Stay tuned to this blog to find out what the proper equilibrium is.
Being bitter keeps one young. Being sweet attracts bees.
It must be an awesome responsibility to be the one to determine when the world is in proper equilibrium. Almost godlike. Are you the prophet we have been waiting for?? I am most humbled.
My psychiatrist told me I had a messiah complex.
But I forgave him.
I love what Ken said LOL
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