Dove feathers in the President's mouth etc

[Mutualcode at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/29/2003 10:05:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
barbara100 at jps.net writes:


> It can't just be the dumb accent that Bush has his reputation. And 
> parents..."


The problem with W. is that he is dumber than his father. So, whereas his
father's embrace of wack-o causes like right-to-life and right-to-weaponry
were perceived as cynical attempts to garnish fundamentalist and hick
votes, he never really lost his eastern establishment federalist credibility.

W., on the other hand, went completely native in Texas. There is the sense
that he actually believes Jesus wears spurs. He is not at all a southerner, 
but his total embrace of southern mores- in the crooked body of a connecticut
yankee- warms rebel hearts. He is a convert, and therefore, even more
zealous. His shrewdness (he is not intelligent) lies in the fact that he has
learned to allow some of his eastern establishment mannerisms to slip
through. His accent is obviously fraudulent- he reminds me of Joe Namath
unconsciously imitating Bob Dylan- but that's okay. To rebel ears he is a
source of validation because he is trying to be like them. This flatters 
them.

But basically, he's just a front man for all Poppy's advisors. I don't think
he has ever really developed a political consciousness of his own- his leash
has been kept so short. His most important attribute is keeping "on message."


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://waste.org/pipermail/pynchon-l/attachments/20030129/e70bdb0c/attachment.html>