Lionel Chetywnd and I were about to do this week’s Poliwood
on an entirely different subject when we heard about the statements of National Endowment of the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman regarding Obama being the most “powerful” writer since Julius Caesar. Landesman also went on praise our leader as the first presidential author of books since Teddy Roosevelt. Say what?
Anyway, Lionel and I knew we had to change course. Who could resist this record-breaking moment in the history of brown-nosing? And we were both unlikely to get a grant from the NEA at this point anyway. So off we went, burning bridges again.
All Hail Obama – you can watch the new Poliwood here.
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13 Comments
1. Hugh:Roger&Lionel:wonderfull declamation re: kulturekamp&Obama’s minions- verily, youse two,they work for him-the buck stops(it must)@ Barry’s desk…two items to suggest-read Rob.Service’s biog. of Trotsky(neeBronstein-hey! SharonStone’s ex?? who knew!)*#2 kindly broadcast thru the PJTV Polliwd spot a certain Nat’l Socialist’s point o’view/dictum:”…tell a lie enough times and the people will believe it.” Say this again, and again ’cause the teacher’s unions are letting this Nation down with their mendacity and illiteracy and equivocations.If not you, then who? I have already educated my children- I cannot reach others.Oh , and the crack re: that troll Weinstein’s film-Inglor.Bastards?, that’s just Harvey doing what those Hollyweid trolls do- it’s called mental masturbation.
Oct 30, 2009 - 4:14 pm 2. CabotAR:What am I missing here? “the most “powerful” writer since Julius Caesar.” What has Obama written that really wasn’t his ghostwriters who actually wrote for him. And, ‘Julius Ceasar’ is who he is compared to?
Good God! The NEA seems to lock stepped with Obama along with the news media that made this news.
If you want to really read a new book, then read A Time To Stand by Oliver. At least it is insightful of American’s contempt of politicians & some small town in America ends up starting the 2nd American Revolution cause of their revolt against federal tyranny/bureaucats in our personal lives & politicians who no longer represetn you or me, but just big govt. It’s a great read.
Oct 30, 2009 - 5:38 pm 3. Good Ole Charlie:http://www.booksbyoliver.com
Shows to display the utter ignorance of both flatterer and flatteree.
Oct 30, 2009 - 6:47 pm 4. R. Woods:Better than, say – Shakespeare, Dante, Lincoln, Dickens, Cicero, (Not to mention The New Testament), Machiavelli, Locke, Jefferson, and Gawd knows how many others.
What a bunch of ignorant assholes…just plain disgusting.
This president is a fool and a knave…and the NEA folks are amazing in their collective stupidity.
One uses “stupid” a lot in connection with this puerile administration and Congress….don’tcha think?
Rocco Landesman, Obama’s Monica.
Oct 30, 2009 - 8:02 pm 5. PC14:Roger wrote: “Who could resist this record-breaking moment in the history of brown-nosing?”
RACIST!!!!!!
Oct 30, 2009 - 8:18 pm 6. Alex Bensky:Without reading the entire exchange, which I’m not going to bother to do, it’s not clear whether by “powerful” he meant “having power” or “powerful writing.”
If the former the point is at least arguable. If the latter and even if he’s referring only to world leaders, well, Benjamin
D’Israeli’s non-fiction is pretty good, putting Obama and Churchill in the same league as writers would only embarrass Obama, Grant’s memoirs are justly renowned for their writing as well as their insight, and I don’t know if you can add “Profiles in Courage” because there’s some reason to believe that JFK didn’t write more than his name on the final copy. I am told DeGaulle’s memoirs are quite well-written but I haven’t read the translation and I don’t read French.
It need hardly be said that if the NEA had been politicized to this extent under the previous administration we would be bombarded daily with warning’s about the approaching fascist state.
I saw yet another book about Joe McCarthy at the bookstore this afternoon. Curious that McCarthy is always hauled out as a threat to freedom–which he was–by the left but today without question the threat to freedom of speech and thought today comes from the left.
Oct 30, 2009 - 8:55 pm 7. Art Svensson:Roger,
Haven’t seen the latest Polliwood yet … but I’m about to. Just finished your ‘Blacklisting Myself’. A really good read.
Oct 30, 2009 - 9:11 pm 8. David Thomson:I have no real idea whether Bill Ayers wrote Barack Obama’s books. That is a secondary question. This is what’s really important: statiscally it is highly unlikely the president was the sole author. The odds are overwhelming that he was no more than a co-author. It would have been ridiculously easy for Obama to publish countless pieces. And yet, what other writings can one point to? It simply does not make any sense. People who become accomplished stylists write constantly. There is no other way to acquire the necessary skills.
Oct 31, 2009 - 8:47 pm 9. myna:I heard NEA boss is joking. He wished.
Oct 31, 2009 - 9:27 pm 10. Under the Tucson Sun:Actutally, if you pronounce the Latin the way Caesar and ancient Romans did, it would be:
Weenie,
Witchie,
Wee-weed!
Happy Halloween!
Oct 31, 2009 - 9:43 pm 11. Data Schlepper:(Shakespeare, Act 1, Scene 2, a public place)
Cassius, speaking to Brutus as the crowd hails Julius Caesar:
Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Unlike Rocco, Cassius was being sarcastic.
Nov 1, 2009 - 7:02 am 12. Cassius:“I tell Caesar he hates flatterers
Nov 1, 2009 - 6:50 pm 13. Historian:and he says he does,
– then being most flattered.”
Using Landesman’s definition of “powerful”, he would been more accurate (though still inaccurate) to describe Obama as the most “powerful” writer since Mao and Stalin.
Nov 2, 2009 - 5:42 am