Comments on: P.J.O’Rourke on the Election: “We Blew It”

By: Tobias

Tobias — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:46:14 +0000

During the 2004 election I heard Mr. O’Rourke on the radio talking about how he “used” to be a “hard-core Republican” but he realized in order to be a true journalist he needed to be neutral. After stepping away from the right he realized that what Republicans have done successfully was wrapped their agenda in patriotism. In reality blue collar workers would benefit more from the Democrats but feeling patriotic they vote Republican. O’Rourke also said as a civilized county we should take care of one another and we should all be paying for Grandma’s medication.
By the sounds of this article, he didn’t stay neutral very long.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:09:38 +0000

Yeah, tas, but he writes really funny, and he makes me laugh. He gets 50 bonus points from me for that alone.

By: tas

tas — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:25:49 +0000

I haven’t read his full analysis yet, and while it reads as criticism of the movement it also tries disavowing Conservatism itself. This tactic isn’t original, and I hate it. Basically, O’Rourke is saying “Blame those guys but not conservatives! They weren’t conservatives!” Sorry, but they were — this is how conservatives run government. And, time and again, people like O’Rourke supported the Bush administration. It’s a little late — not to mention wholly disingenuous — for him to have buyer’s remorse now.

This is Conservatism. If O’Rourke doesn’t like it, he needs to do a little soul-searching.

By: Ace Armstrong

Ace Armstrong — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:56:37 +0000

I suppose once an individual reaches a significant level of public recognition as an accomplished writer they can blather on about various and sundry subjects and still be paid.
The core value of responsible behavior Mr. O’Rourke seems to refer to as missing from conservative values over the past 28 years also seems to be a value only conservatives can possess. For some unfathomable reason all things irresponsible are liberal and vice versa for P.J.
As a contemporary of Mr. O’Rourke’s who has followed his literary career and appreciate his writing abilities, it concerns me that his thought process has not evolve with his literary skills.
I can only attribute it to an unequivocal embrace of the country club.
The flurry of flustration on the right is endemic of a political theory gone awry. I’m surprised that more liberal pundits are not dragging out the famous philosophical admonition of ignoring the lessons of history.
When right wing pundits state if not for the economic down turn, Obama would not have won don’t understand that it was an inevitable as rain. Maybe they all thought that the Third Great Awakening would take care of everything.