quote

It is a wise man who plants a tree in the shade of which he knows he will never sit. -- Greek proverb --

Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. -- Robert Louis Stevenson --

From On High - Coming to you from a secured redoubt on Big Walker Mountain in the heart of Virginia's Blue Ridge.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

When Power Corrupts

Megalomania:
Noun: megalomania
1. A psychological state characterized by delusions of grandeur

You focused so much on macaca and related idiocy, and you went into the voting booth with only one impetus - a need to vote against the incumbent, that you never took the time to get to know who the alternative - the man you've now elected - actually is. His character, or lack thereof, is now being revealed:

Already Too Busy for Civility
By George F. Will, The Washington Post

That was certainly swift. Washington has a way of quickly acculturating people, especially those who are most susceptible to derangement by the derivative dignity of office. But Jim Webb, Democratic senator-elect from Virginia, has become a pompous poseur and an abuser of the English language before actually becoming a senator.

Wednesday's Post reported that at a White House reception for newly elected members of Congress, Webb "tried to avoid President Bush," refusing to pass through the reception line or have his picture taken with the president.

Webb certainly has conveyed what he is: a boor. Never mind the patent disrespect for the presidency. Webb's more gross offense was calculated rudeness toward another human being -- one who, disregarding many hard things Webb had said about him during the campaign, asked a civil and caring question, as one parent to another. When -- if ever -- Webb grows weary of admiring his new grandeur as a "leader" who carefully calibrates the "symbolic things" he does to convey messages, he might consider this: In a republic, people decline to be led by leaders who are insufferably full of themselves. (link) [my emphasis]

You're asking yourself about now: What have I done?

You're a day late, pal. You voted for him. You live with him.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

7 comments:

Tugboat Phil said...

Sadly, Jerry, I don't see any remorse from his supporters at all. The comments are mostly about his testicles and what a breath of fresh air he is. If this is supposed to be fresh air, I have to wonder where their noses spend the majority of their time.

How refreshing that we now have a horse's ass to represent us. Oh, that and a doddering fool.

Anonymous said...

Devil's advocate.

If a freshly elected Republican had a similar run-in with President Clinton in 1998, would the Republicans be acting like the Democrats are today over the Webb/Bush interaction? Would they simply trade shoes?

I tend to think so. Something about goose and gander, but I can't recall the rest.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he found the President's question superficial or insincere? Remember, Webb wisely did not seek Bush out. Maybe you can forgive him as a concerned and distressed parent of someone in combat.

kilo said...

Webb went to the White House to avoid Bush? That is real logical. Sell that B/S cheap guys.

Ms. Elenaeous said...

Two words...no class.

Ms. Manners said...

Not long ago a US senator approached Vice President cheney on the Senate floor and held out his hand in a greeting when he was met with a snarled "Go F***k yourself."

I somehow missed Mr. will's column condemning this---and yours too.

Anonymous said...

Webb should have punched him out! It would have done Bush a world of good and the world a lot of good. Bush should have had his tail whipped long ago--in the national interest, of course.