It’s best expressed by this story attributed to an “Old Jew of Galicia,” which is the epigraph for Nobel Prize winner (when it meant something) Czeslaw Milosz’ The Captive Mind (1951):
When someone is 55% right, that’s very good and there’s no use wrangling. And if someone’s 60% right, it’s wonderful, it’s great good luck and let him thank God. But what’s to be said about 75% right? Wise people say this is suspicious. Well, and what about 100% right? Whoever says he is 100% right is a fanatic, a thug and the worst kind of rascal.
Makes sense to me, oh Galician.
When Biden said that the stimulus plan had 30% chance of failing, most attacked him. I thought for once a politician is being semi-honest. The percentage is probably considerably higher than that. But, in truth, nobody knows.
My wife, Nina, and I have a running joke that she’s right 51% of the time, and I get to be right 49% of the time.
Seems to lead to marital bliss.
But we have, unfortunately, just two types in our current “political class” — those who see themselves as always right, and those who are so accommodating and fair-minded that they can’t bring themselves to forcibly assert anything at all. The types are not completely identified with the two political parties, but at present the Democrats seem to account for about 95% of the first group.
By the way, on a personal note, I was lucky enough to encounter Milosz himself once in the late 1980′s prowling the poetry section of a Berkeley bookstore (Moe’s) and, recognizing him, I grabbed a copy of his collected poems off the shelves and asked him if he would autograph it for me. He very generously did so. (Of course I paid for the book after that!
Jamie Irons
Both are bloated megalomaniacs. But Joe so desperately needs attention as the #2 that he is willing to tell the stark truth to get it. Gotta love him for that.
The Skimulus Package cures the economy the way an aspirin cures a cold. It masks the symptoms and hopes that the ordinary course of events performs the rest. Let’s just hope in this instance that the medicine doesn’t do more harm than good.
Joe is kind of like the drunk at the party who will let you take the car keys from him until he sleeps it off. It’s just that he gets drunk all over again.
I strongly prefer Barack Obama over Joe Biden. The vice-president may be psychiatrically challenged. He literally says that a drunk driver killed his wife—-even though the evidence clearly indicates otherwise. The man is not in touch with reality. I am utterly convinced that Biden’s sanity would have questioned during the campaign had he been a Republican. His might have been nicknamed “Crazy Joe.”
Biden looks good, no great, when one remembers that Pelosi is next in line. Yikes!!
p.s. Just finished “Blacklisting Myself”. Terrific! Loved it!
Biden may be a fool (and he is) but he has been around Washington long enough to have picked up some realism about what can be accomplished and what is a delusion. I have the feeling that Obama is far over his head but likes yes men. I saw a frightening quote about his signing the executive order to close Guantanamo. He didn’t know if there was a plan to deal with the detainees. He didn’t know. It’s at about 40 seconds in that video.
The irony is that the first poster Jamie Irons is a psychiatrist. Does he think that Joe Biden should seek professional help? What should we make of a guy falsely claiming that his wife was killed by a drunk driver? Barack Obama may be ill equipped to be president of the United States—but I don’t perceive him to be crazy. On the other hand, Biden seems crazier than a bed bug.
Mike_K: Thanks for the video. This is not the first instance I can recall during this past short month where President Obama has had to consult Greg Craig about the contents of legislation he is signing, at the moment he is signing it – you know, ON CAMERA. While I understand that no president is on top of every minute detail in the mass of papers that cross his desk, what to do with the detainees at Gitmo once it’s closed seems like it would be a *major* detail. He asks whether there is a separate executive order explaining how they plan to “dispose of” the detainees (interesting choice of words) and Craig informs him that they will be “setting up a process” for dealing with that eventuality. Wow.
Lightinin’ and Mike_K, imagine if Bush had been caught in a video like that – cause for impeachment?
Fred, thanks for the compliment. Very flattered when regular contributors on here like my book, since most of them know pretty well I think. (I tried to sneak some fresh stuff… and lengthier stories, obviously).
Roger, who would’ve needed a special reason? The fact that he even existed was enough for some people.
For all the hype about the smooth campaign the O! team ran, the governing end appears to be lacking.
I don’t know what worries me more about Obama; is he a hard leftist that we have to constantly watch ? Or is he a doofus who hasn’t a clue about governing? Which is worse ?
Worse? An effin’ leftist who truly is a doofus.
Wake me in 4 years. The long rest will help me not having to adjust to what’ll be coming.
Either way, we in deep trouble.
Sorry to swerve off topic Mr. Simon,
I noticed your book “Blacklisting Myself” doesn’t have Kindle edition. Will you go Kindle soon?
richardb, I understand a Kindle edition of my book has been ordered, but I am not certain how soon it will be available.
More like gaita galega, the other is just an empty sack.
Google is my friend.
The great thing about Joey is that if he keeps running his mouth (how he not?) he will singlehandedly set the Dems back another eight years.
The other possibility about Biden is that he lies when he thinks it is to his advantage like Al Gore does. Added to his obviously limited brain power, it makes him look crazy. I agree with Roger re O and Biden. But in the crazy department, I’ll pick Gore over Biden any day.
Biden is the fool in the play, so watch what he says about the king. He will be the only one telling the truth.
One more note about Biden — and Gore. The key VP standard for most Dems as that they can spell p-o-t-a-t-o-e!
I prefer Biden to Obama.
Of course Joe Biden was right that the stimulus plan has a 30% chance of failure. At least! That’s why it was such a gaffe! In the midst of the huge amount of nonsense he spews, Biden says the occasional honest thing. He just can’t help himself, seemingly. That’s why nobody can hate him and nobody can take him seriously.
Joe Biden reminds me of…Spiro Agnew. Seriously.