Thursday, July 07, 2005
Sarah Vowell filling in for Maureen Dowd-- call it wishful thinking, but the name Wally Pipp comes to mind, you know? I'm sure we won't see that kind of longevity, but at least we are getting a superstar in place of a journeyman.
"[Pat]Robertson is one of the people in this dream I've had for 20 years, a nightmare I call "the handshake dream." In it, I am attending some G.O.P. all-star party. (A girl can dream.) And I have to decide whose hand I deign to shake. Bob Dole and John McCain: of course (war heroes). Orrin Hatch: fine (stem cells). But Robertson? He's always been a solid "No way!" as he sulks by the punch bowl with Strom."
Ms. Vowell is more forgiving than I am-- I might deign to poke Orrin Hatch with a stick, but that's as far as I'd go. I did meet Bob Dole once, in the late 70's. "Senator," my bearded, scruffy undergraduate self said, "You've been a hero of mine for some time." "Oh really?" he retorted, "What did I do wrong?" His retinue laughed, and I said, "I think you're the funniest Republican since Bob Hope." I didn't get a laugh. He moved on, but I meant it. Dole is what Republicans should be-- I'd be one if they were like Dole, instead of like Hatch, or Santorum. Republicans should be about freedom, not about who you have sex with, or how you express your political beliefs. Hatch falls squarely into the later camp, and the fact that I agree with him on stem cell research is disturbing to me. I've never agreed with him on anything before, and I wonder if this is his broken clock moment.
"[Pat]Robertson is one of the people in this dream I've had for 20 years, a nightmare I call "the handshake dream." In it, I am attending some G.O.P. all-star party. (A girl can dream.) And I have to decide whose hand I deign to shake. Bob Dole and John McCain: of course (war heroes). Orrin Hatch: fine (stem cells). But Robertson? He's always been a solid "No way!" as he sulks by the punch bowl with Strom."
Ms. Vowell is more forgiving than I am-- I might deign to poke Orrin Hatch with a stick, but that's as far as I'd go. I did meet Bob Dole once, in the late 70's. "Senator," my bearded, scruffy undergraduate self said, "You've been a hero of mine for some time." "Oh really?" he retorted, "What did I do wrong?" His retinue laughed, and I said, "I think you're the funniest Republican since Bob Hope." I didn't get a laugh. He moved on, but I meant it. Dole is what Republicans should be-- I'd be one if they were like Dole, instead of like Hatch, or Santorum. Republicans should be about freedom, not about who you have sex with, or how you express your political beliefs. Hatch falls squarely into the later camp, and the fact that I agree with him on stem cell research is disturbing to me. I've never agreed with him on anything before, and I wonder if this is his broken clock moment.
// posted by Bill @ 9:50 AM 
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