Why do these passages from Jonah Goldberg and Sarah Palin sound so similar?
November 23, 2010 1:18 pm ET by Eric Hananoki
In her new book America by Heart, Sarah Palin (egregiously) crops a quote from President Obama about American exceptionalism and then offers the observation that it "reminds me of that great scene in the movie The Incredibles":
Astonishingly, President Obama even said that he believes in American exceptionalism in the same way "the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism." Which is to say, he doesn't believe in American exceptionalism at all. He seems to think it is just a kind of irrational prejudice in favor of our way of life. To me, that is appalling.
His statement reminds me of that great scene in the movie The Incredibles. Dash, the son in the superhero family, who is a super-fast runner, wants to try out for the track team at school. His mom claims it won't be fair. "Dad always said our powers were nothing to be ashamed of. Our powers made us special!" Dash objects. When his mom answers with the politically correct rejoinder "Everyone's special, Dash," Dash mutters, "Which is another way of saying no one is." [Page 69]
Palin's writing is strikingly similar to Jonah Goldberg's November 9 syndicated column -- presumably written after Palin finished her book -- in which he says Obama's quote "reminded me of the wonderful scene in Pixar's 'The Incredibles'":
Last year, when asked if he believed in American exceptionalism, President Obama responded, "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism."
This reminded me of the wonderful scene in Pixar's "The Incredibles," in which the mom says "everyone's special" and her son replies, "Which is another way of saying no one is."But at least the president made room for the sentiment that America is a special place, even if he chalked it up to a kind of benign provincialism.
If you think this is just a coincidence -- hey, great minds think alike! -- consider one other piece of information: In her acknowledgements section, Palin offers a "special thanks to the brilliant, independent self-starter who got her start in Alaska, Jessica Gavora. Thank you for your most important work on America by Heart." Gavora is the wife of Jonah Goldberg; Goldberg recently tweeted that his wife "worked with Sarah Palin on her new book."
I contacted Goldberg for comment on the similarities, but have not heard back. I will post his comment if he does reply.
And you do realize, until the next session of Congress, Pelosi is just behind Biden in the line of succession. She qualifies for more than the Piper Cub you apparently want her to fly.
And please, amplify what you mean by "etc." You're spouting all sorts of garbage, etc.
And then all your side does is release a super edited video and spread the rumor about in an endless clusterdumb of screaming and crying and huffing about and chalk boarding. When we release full, unedited videos, you don't watch them. because Beck doesnt play them; why should he, it goes against his narrative.
I hate to tell you this, but here it is: When you say theres but OEN SINGLE BASTION of truth and honesty in the world, and you just so happend to find it, and it just so happend to fall into line with every single thing you think is best, then your idea is probably fake or fradulent, or just plain stupid.
You have done an amazing job blaming democrats for false wars, blaming them for right-wing budget manipulation, total economic and financial deregulation, outsorcing, and even your lame, funny teabagger meme. You attack him for htings your own guy did, and wouldve attacked him if eh didnt do those anyway.
Im so very, very glad that your generation, that thinks its so damn special it has the right to turn our world into a wasteland, gets smaller by the years. People like you have only ever delayed the tide. And comments like these, they just show one thing: You ALWAYS FAIL. And we will win. Every time your side has tried illegally to curtail a group's rights, you lost. We won.
And so it shall be. And in eight years you'll have completely forgotten about anything else: Obama and Clinton will have controlled the US white house, house and congress for the past 50 years, while saying that we aquired our into WMD destruction from raiding Iraq's revolving door plutonium outlet malls.
I pity you. I pity the hate in your an the darkness in you. I hope you find some way to be happy: it sounds like the right has those few lines of yours on a constant loop that ignores anyone unless the FNC chiron mislabeled them a democrat.
It goes to show you how willfully misinformed, and unable to admit when you are wrong, even when the facts are completely, entirely against you. That worries me more about this country then anything!
There are literally thousands of words in the English language to choose from. It's unnecessary to drag that one out from the cesspool for use here.
And, even after posting that, there's nothing wrong with his choice of words.
Total nonsense. Am in Oz right now and here you can be called "a good c-nt" and it's a term of endearment. You can even be called "not a bad c-nt" and that's seen as an admirable trait
Aussies haven't got anywhere near the kneejerk over-reaction to the word that Yanks do.
Total nonsense. Am in Oz right now and here you can be called "a good c-nt" and it's a term of endearment. You can even be called "not a bad c-nt" and that's seen as an admirable trait
Aussies haven't got anywhere near the kneejerk over-reaction to the word that Yanks do.
I disagree with the choice of words not because it it rude or vulgar, but because c-nts have a use.
;p
Agreed, that was disgusting. grrson: If you want to use words like that, go somewhere else. You are posting on the wrong blog.
it should also be noted that the transmutation of the obama comment is stupid to begin with.
I should also mention the fact that it's fun smashing the idiot right wingers who believe it and regurgitate it on comment sections all over the internet. They kick and scream, sooooooo funny!
For some reason, Americans feel like if this country isn't exceptional, that they themselves are not exceptional.
Compared to other developed countries, the US really isn't exceptional. We have a throw away culture and revel in our trashy entertainment. We don't value education, art or our own quality of life. We work ourselves to death to make wealthy people rich and get infuriated if anyone even considers raising taxes on the wealthy, improving health care or not waging a war.
Basically, we've become a country of morons who don't respect ourselves, but love it when people say we're exceptional. We ain't.
Be that as it may, if there ever was an "exceptional" America, it only existed until the rest of the first world countries finally started getting rid of their elite ruling classes and became representative democracies. This started shortly after the American Revolution, and picked up steam from there.
Many of these you may dispute, and that's fine. But looking back a mere 9 years ago to see how we united after terrorists flew planes into national landmarks, you begin to see our strength. Yes, we disagree on many things, and you can even argue that this divide is getting ever bigger, but I rally hope that this divide has not grown too big that we forget our differences when something bigger comes along.
This nation, for all its flaws, is the best nation on earth. If you wonder what we are best at, I ask you to consider where you would rather live that provides the freedom, opportunity, and unity that this nation provides.
Thought so.
I got out of the article that these guys are lazy and are simply colluding, which is bad. Maybe, but attacking the message is something different than attacking the agreement to share language in literature. But I simply ask if they agreed to allow each other to share ideas, where is the problem in that idea alone? People are free to agree to do most anything, including this.
You don't have to like the message, but to call them out for this is petty and is looking for something to criticize them for. In other words, it is a dumb argument.
As MMfA's mission is to expose conservative misinformation, they should root out nexuses such as this and dissect them. Low hanging fruit is still fruit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9DnQoLcFRQ