Comments on: Poliwood: All Hail Obama – the best writer since Julius Caesar

By: Historian

Historian — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:42:19 +0000

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.

By: Cassius

Cassius — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:50:31 +0000

“I tell Caesar he hates flatterers
and he says he does,
– then being most flattered.”

By: Data Schlepper

Data Schlepper — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:02:50 +0000

(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.

By: Under the Tucson Sun

Under the Tucson Sun — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:43:28 +0000

Actutally, if you pronounce the Latin the way Caesar and ancient Romans did, it would be:

Weenie,
Witchie,
Wee-weed!

Happy Halloween!

By: myna

myna — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:27:22 +0000

I heard NEA boss is joking. He wished.

By: David Thomson

David Thomson — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:47:21 +0000

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.

By: Art Svensson

Art Svensson — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:11:49 +0000

Roger,

Haven’t seen the latest Polliwood yet … but I’m about to. Just finished your ‘Blacklisting Myself’. A really good read.

By: Alex Bensky

Alex Bensky — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:55:32 +0000

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.

By: PC14

PC14 — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:18:05 +0000

Roger wrote: “Who could resist this record-breaking moment in the history of brown-nosing?”

RACIST!!!!!!

By: R. Woods

R. Woods — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:02:28 +0000

Rocco Landesman, Obama’s Monica.