Strengthening Constitutional Self-Government

No Left Turns

Peggy Noonan on the CSK funeral

She gushes about how this is democracy in action. No complaints about Joseph Lowery (who, as I said, is kinda entitled, as a preacher, to make his flock squirm). A gibe directed at JC (what the initials signify in the mind of our former President only he knows), but no real criticism. And cetainly no discussion of whether a funeral is an appropriate occasion for petty politics.

One thing PN clearly got right was her commentary on the Clintons:

The real news was how the Clintons used the funeral to unveil how they will run in 2008: Together, side by side, with beautiful hairdos. I haven’t seen them like this--both standing at the podium--since 1992, when they were new. In the years since, after the health-care failure and the Whitewater scandals, the West Wing attitude toward the president’s wife was a quiet and respectful "Get that woman off the podium!" Not anymore. All is new again. Mrs. Clinton has clearly been working on her public speaking, and attempted to use her hands as her husband uses his, now in an emphasizing arc, now resting on her chest. But his are large, long and elegant, and hers are puffed and grasping.

Both Clintons spoke in the cadence and with the imagery of the Bible. Mrs. Clinton’s first words, in which she referred to Mrs. King’s brave decision to continue her husband’s work after his murder, were steeped in religiosity. "As we are called, each of us must decide whether to answer that call by saying, ’Send me.’" She ended with, "The work of peace never ends. So we bid her earthly presence farewell. We wish her Godspeed on her homecoming. And we ask ourselves, ’Will we say, when the call comes, "Send me"?’"


Oh I think we will, Ms. Meanieface!


If you don’t understand that Mrs. Clinton was rehearsing her 2008 announcement speech, then you are a child and must go home and have a nice cup of cocoa.


This is what is coming: I have had a blessed life. And like so many people I could choose, after all these years, a life of comfort. Watch it from the sidelines, tend to my own concerns, watch the garden grow. But our nation calls out. And if we are to be Americans we must meet the call. "Send me."


With Bill nodding beside her, his hands clasped prayerfully in front of him, nodding and working that jaw muscle he works when he wants you to notice, for just a second, how hard it is sometimes for him to contain his admiration.


God I love them.

After those paragraphs, I can forgive the first part. Almost.

Discussions - 5 Comments

Joseph Lowery and Jimmy Carter were utterly disgraceful. So is either of the Clintons paraphrasing biblical passages for cheap politcal gain. So is Fung’s constant complaining about ketchup but not salsa.


Every now and then, Ms. Noonan loses her way. If ever there was a time for a pundit to keep his or her eye on the ball, it was in commenting on the King funeral. The liberals’ abuse of funerals says a lot about their ideology. It is not important whether the Clintons were having a good time.
It is important that "civil rights" has become a rigid ideology and a corrupt racket, which causes more racism (in all races) than it alleviates or cures. Peggy’s "girlie-girl" side is OK applied to some topics. Not this one.

A big Amen to Comments 1 and 2. Noonan is an eloquent and intelligent commenter, but on Free Speech at the King funeral she completely came off track.

I wish "not Dain" would either shut up or pick a unique name. How juvenile.

I concur here, however. About the time I begin to trust Noonan’s judgment, she goes off the deep end.

I was disappointed in her assesment of the shameless attacks on the President by Carter, the Clinton’s and Lowery and rationalizing this disgrace as "free speach". Carter is a hypocrite as are the Clintons when it comes to surveillance but what’s new there. Lowery is a "leader" who fails to do so and cannot cite any examples of progress. That these people would use a funeral for self promotion is history repeating itself. Recall Ron Brown’s funeral and the Slick one turning on the tears when caught on camera. We have come to expect more from Peggy. She dropped the ball on this one bigtime.

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