Saw in my Sunday New York Times this piece about the coming battle over the role of government that will emerge in battles between Barack Obama and John Roberts, "two of the smartest men of their generation":
The debate between the men, by necessity, takes place in this way — indirectly, and soon through the confirmation hearing of a new nominee. Christopher Edley Jr., an Obama adviser and dean of the law school at the University of California at Berkeley, said it was a shame the two could not have at it one on one.
“Televise this chief justice and this president on stage at the Kennedy Center for three hours talking about the role of government and the future of our polity,” Mr. Edley said. “This historic clash of intellectual titans would be the most powerful civics lesson since the Federalist Papers, and we could sure use it.”
Amen to that. It'd be beer and nachos time -- the equivalent of the Super Bowl for editorial writers and other political geeks.
Comments
Hmm, I only see one smart man listed for this debate and that man, Chief Justice Roberts, would also be the only constitutional scholar in the room as well.
Perhaps Prez Zee Roh could enlist the aid of his teleprompter.
Ah yes, the teleprompter smack again. As if Obama were the first president to ever use one. Since when did using a teleprompter become such a bad thing? Oh, that's right. Since Obama started doing it.
Lewis, the use of a teleprompter is not an unusual practice for public speakers of any kind. It's the over use of one that stands out, and since Teh One is on stage pontificating for the masses about three times a freaking day, it has become a noticeable crutch of his.
Makes you wonder if he uses it at dinner. (as the Onion so aptly asked)
Ah, well, Tim, I'd love to be mad at you right now. But anyone that cites the Onion is OK in my book. It's given me much needed comic relief more times than I'd like to recall.
Lewis, it's a hilarious bit, check it out..
http://www.theonion.com/video/obamas-home-teleprompter-malfunctions-during-famil,14383/
Tim, that is indeed hilarious. I was a bit worried that when The Onion got into media other than print it would lose its edge, but I guess that's not the case.