Camille Paglia is probably my favorite Democrat (now that Joe Lieberman is an Independent — thanks, nutroots) — she’s smart, insightful, and not afraid to tell the ugly truth.
Paglia has been called the “feminist that other feminists love to hate,” which makes me like her all the more. Also, she’s known to be an atheist who respects religion.
As an agnostic who also respects religion (especially Christianity), I respect and understand that seemingly contradictory view.
__________
I disagree with almost all of her politics, but I respect the way in which she expresses herself. And I especially enjoy her frank criticisms of her own party.
In her most recent article at Salon, Paglia has a candid assessment of the Democratic candidates, and how they fair against the GOP frontrunners:
Despite numerous polls claiming that registered Democrats like myself are happy with their current field of presidential contenders, the Gore boomlet betrays subterranean tremors of doubt. After two major televised debates by both parties, only a Pollyanna on helium would believe that any of the top-tier Democrats will definitely be able to defeat a leading Republican like Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani.
She’s right.
At their second debate, held in New Hampshire two weeks ago, the Democratic contenders were still skittish and uncertain. The top men, confronted with a woman competitor, seemed paralyzed by liberal p.c. and unable to attack her as they must. Even when John Edwards went on offense, he cautiously bracketed Hillary Clinton with Barack Obama, as if it would be unchivalrous to zing a lady. That both Edwards and Obama are hamstrung by effete professional-class gender etiquette was suggested by the way that Dennis Kucinich, with his rowdier and more robust populist style, has been able to shatter the debate decorum with exhilarating bursts of derisive rhetoric.
I think the two bolded phrases in that paragraph pretty well summarize whey democrats are perceived as weak when it comes to national defense — because, well, they are weak. They’re so afraid of offending somebody, that they won’t attack anybody (other than our Commander in Chief, Military Recruiters, and Christians).
The second Republican debate, in contrast, overflowed with spontaneous energy. Yes, the contenders are all middle-aged white men, but they sure know how to give and take a punch! There was drama, humor and electricity (literally, when a bolt of lightning cut out Giuliani’s mike). I continue to be alarmed at what I perceive as Republican momentum toward next year’s national election. The confident Republican foregrounding of military and security issues is going to present a very high hurdle to the Democratic nominee. Democrats are already acquiring a dismaying reputation for underestimating the threat of global terrorism.
Sorry, Camille, but the reputation for underestimating the threat of global terrorism has long since been established.
Now, to the heart of the matter, watch Camille take apart Gore:
Nevertheless, Hillary’s abundant negatives don’t make a Gore candidacy any more attractive. Sure, all the uber-journalists who’ve mixed with Gore are dazzled by him. Big deal! Personal charm and a silver tongue in private don’t make a president, who must be a public performer on the world stage. Whatever his high ideals, Gore is a mass of frustrated yearnings and self-defeating vacillation. Raised in a bubble of wealth and privilege, he has never fully emerged from his senator father’s judgmental shadow. Women (wife, daughters, wifty hired hands) have to buck him up and prod him in this direction or that.
What exactly were Gore’s achievements in his eight years as vice president? What steps did he take at the time to shape public policy on global warming? What did the Clinton administration do to win U.S. adoption of the Kyoto accords? (Answer: next to nothing.) What political role did Gore play in the world after leaving office? There are some mighty big blanks in Gore’s record.
As a global warming agnostic, I dislike the way that Gore’s preachy, apocalyptic fundamentalism has fomented an atmosphere of hysteria around this issue and potentially compromised the long-term credibility of environmentalism. Democrats who long for his return as the anti-Hillary may not realize how Gore has become a risible cartoon character for much of the country at large. Anyone who listens to talk radio has been repeatedly regaled by clips of Gore bizarrely going off the deep end at one speech or another. And Gore, far worse than Hillary, is the Phantom of a Thousand Accents — telegraphing his supercilious condescension to whatever audience he’s trying to manipulate.
Those two bolded phrases pretty much sum of the essence of the Goreacle. And why serious Democrats don’t want him to run as much as Republicans do want him to run — namely, the man is seriously unelectable.
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Wow, she’s still alive?
I don’t suppose that the much of the GOP field has also handled each other gently also has to do with gender politics too?
When all you have is a hammer every problem looks like a nail. Camille Paglia’s hammer is gender criticism.
“Wow, she’s still alive? ”
i was just thinking that about you. how goes it pres?
I love Camille, even though I disagree with much of her positions. She’s pretty much an individualist, which I greatly admire and respect. She gave it to Gore, though.