MSKGEELFTG VVPVLVELDG DVNGQKFSVS GEGEGDATYG KLTLNFICTT GKLPVPWPTL VTTFSYGVQC FSRYPDHMKQ HDFFKSAMPE GYVQERTIFY KDDGNYKTRA EVKFEGDTLV NRIELKGIDF KEDGNILGHK MEYNYNSHNV YIMGDKPKNG IKVNFKIRHN IKDGSVQLAD HYQQNTPIGD GPVLLPDNHY LSTQSALSKD PNEKRDHMIL LEFVTAARIT HGMDELYK
1 atgagtaaag gagaagaact tttcactgga gtggtcccag ttcttgttga attagatggc
61 gatgttaatg ggcaaaaatt ctctgtcagt ggagagggtg aaggtgatgc aacatacgga
121 aaacttaccc ttaattttat ttgcactact gggaagctac ctgttccatg gccaacactt
181 gtcactactt tctcttatgg tgttcaatgc ttctcaagat acccagatca tatgaaacag
241 catgactttt tcaagagtgc catgcccgaa ggttatgtac aggaaagaac tatattttac
301 aaagatgacg ggaactacaa gacacgtgct gaagtcaagt ttgaaggtga tacccttgtt
361 aatagaatcg agttaaaagg tattgatttt aaagaagatg gaaacattct tggacacaaa
421 atggaataca actataactc acataatgta tacatcatgg gagacaaacc aaagaatggc
481 atcaaagtta acttcaaaat tagacacaac attaaagatg gaagcgttca attagcagac
541 cattatcaac aaaatactcc aattggcgat ggccctgtcc ttttaccaga caaccattac
601 ctgtccacac aatctgccct ttccaaagat cccaacgaaa agagagatca catgatcctt
661 cttgagtttg taacagctgc taggattaca catggcatgg atgaactata caaa
I’ve found that most intellectuals, amateur or otherwise, reflexively assume that a person’s statements reflect what they think, or at least to the extent that the person is able to express themselves. If that assumption holds true, then I guess it’s perfectly legitimate to do a “close reading” and write for pages and pages about the ideas and the implications.
I’m not so convinced that’s a worthwhile task for the words of a politician. Are his/her statements the product of any deep thought–do we even expect they’ll be consistent between one public appearance and the next?
Those watching last night’s political performance were witness to a dubious debate tactic that assumes a low intelligence across the audience. What worries me is that Obama resorted to this strategy because he saw Palin get away with it–”The tyranny,” as George W. Bush said, “of low expectations.” Not surprisingly, it has a long and glorious history in law schools and debate classes the world over.
Sidestumping: To avoid answering a question by reciting a stump speech that at best is only tenuously related to the question.
Andrew Sullivan stroked himself:
I debated dozens of times at Oxofrd. All I can say is that, simply on terms of substance, clarity, empathy, style and authority, this has not just been an Obama victory. It has been a wipe-out.
Sullivan’s words get in the way of his sentiments, sentiments shared by Cuban revolutionary José Martà in regard to his time with the regime, “I have lived inside the beast and I know its entrails.”