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Now, I have no idea whether this item is true (sorry, Cindy), but if so, it’s breathtaking. You know that the Mugabe regime is engaged in a kind of “ethnic cleansing,” terrorizing white farmers and throwing them out of their houses and off their land. This same Mrs. Mugabe actually went and picked out one of the choicer farms for herself — she went to visit, to inspect, while the couple who own and built the place — elderly, traumatized — were still there.
This reminded me of something my friend David Pryce-Jones wrote in his (superb) biography of Unity Mitford, the great British Nazi. Her friend Hitler “gave” her the apartment of a Jewish couple. Mitford and a Nazi escort went to check it out, and as Unity was pondering new curtains and so on, the Jewish couple sat on the couch, quietly weeping. Mitford was utterly oblivious. No one was ever more misnamed than “Grace” Mugabe. She should be arrested, rather than left free to shop unbothered by the sight and sounds of others at Harrod’s.
I’ve defended Barry Manilow for ages, on both musical and cultural/social grounds. Ah, the heartache!
(Oh, just so you know: Richards is a great pal of Liz Smith. Hence my “transition,” above.) (One more aside: Liz is a great supporter and booster of National Review. So bless her Democratic, Texas/Manhattan heart, a thousand times over.)
This reminded me of something else: Recently, I was talking to some people who said, “Wouldn’t you know, of all the states in the Union, it had to be Florida, where Bush’s brother is governor, where the 2000 presidential campaign was won. Gee, what a coincidence!” Yes, actually: What a coincidence. When it came down to Florida, on Election Night 2000 — and for weeks thereafter — a lot of us cringed, because it looked so bad: The drama was occurring in the state of which W.’s brother happened to be governor. It could have happened in any other state — but now it appeared that these two brothers, scions of an important political family, were in cahoots. This was a PR blow for the Republicans. From their (our) point of view, it might have been better to play this out in any other state: Jeb had to remain super-squeaky-clean, had to recuse and recuse, so as to avoid “even the appearance of impropriety” (no such luck). Sometimes life is like that — odd things happen. And “life” has given us a president, after 9/11, whose father was president two presidents ago. In his U.N. speech, speaking of the attempt by Saddam Hussein on the life of Bush 41, in Kuwait City, GWB said “a former president of the United States.” But that gets awkward to say over and over: “a former president of the United States” (awkward for that president’s son, that is). So, the other day, W. did indeed “slip up” and say “my dad.” You recall that, when James L. Buckley was in the U.S. Senate, Bill Buckley — instead of saying “my brother” or using some stiff locution — wrote “the sainted junior senator from New York.” That was a neat way — sly, acknowledging, knowing — around a ticklish problem. When drawing up a bill of particulars against the Iraqi dictator, we may well include his attempt on GHWB. Obviously, President Clinton thought it important: He retaliated (although half-heartedly, as usual, when it came to Iraq and terror generally). It may be awkward that the target of this assassination effort was the father of the current president — but, as in Florida, tough luck. It still counts.
He “roused San Antonio veterans by saying Wall Street financiers and Washington budget-busters don’t ‘look like us,’ while soldiers do.” This according to a report from Texas. Disgusting, and societally lethal, this racial poison. I hope Kirk’s opponent crushes him by 3 million votes. He isn’t fit to hold office, to talk like that — even to think like that. Radicals like Sharpton say, “Oh, you just want some patsy, some Tom.” No, actually: but a minimal decency wouldn’t be bad.
First, there can’t be “a primary reason,” but only one primary reason. But remember: Everything did not change after 9/11. Never has a cliché been rendered untrue so fast. If mass carnage isn’t reason to get serious about terrorists and their state supporters, I don’t know what is. Albright et al. can just sleep on, and testify on — while the present administration makes the world safer for them, their children, and their grandchildren. Pardon the campaign-style rhetoric, but it’s true.
I’m reminded of something that Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa said during the mid-1980s. I loved him for it. He said, “If I relied on the media for my information, I’d oppose aid to the Contras too.” Perfect.
2) I’m surprised that the Democrats weren’t baying for him to leave. As I’ve said many times — particularly during the Lewinsky affair — if a leader of my party proved a skunk, I would be the loudest demanding that he go. I would be banging on the gates. Because that person’s continuation in office would taint me, too, in a way. This is a major difference between the two parties: Recall how the Democrats circled the wagons around Clinton, during impeachment. And consider that no one said about Torricelli, “He’s a skunk, he’s corrupt, we should be free of him.” And do you remember when Bob Livingston resigned, before he could officially become Speaker? I know that there’s no difference between the two parties, morally — at least that’s what we’re told. Politics is a dirty business, and no party is more virtuous than another. I know this is the line. But . . . may I confess to you? I wonder. And 3) We called him “the Torch,” but his name wasn’t pronounced in the Italian fashion. As I was able to confirm as a reporter, years ago, Torricelli himself says “Torriselli.” But people just like that idea of “the Torch.”
“You have to love West Texans.” You do indeed. And how about this? “In the ’60s during summer breaks from college I drove a cab in Boston. One evening I picked up a young lady with a British-like accent, who I learned was from Australia. During the course of about ten minutes of small talk, I said that I hoped to visit Australia someday. As I was collecting her fare at the end of the ride she handed me a note. On it were her parents’ names, address, and phone number. She insisted that if I visited Australia I had to visit them, and that they would be happy to have me stay with them. This, after an acquaintance of only ten minutes. Amazing! I’ve not made it to Australia yet, but I’ve never forgotten that gesture.” I know many, many similar stories, about the Aussies.
You want to criticize the grammar in that sentence? Ah, then you really can’t hear the beautiful music of the thing. |
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he New York Post’s saucy, delicious “gossipeuse,”
as they call her — Cindy Adams — had a curious item yesterday.
Listen: Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, “must harbor a fondness
for Britain, seeing as how she behaves like a queen. A recent shopping
day the whole Harrod’s store closed for Grace. [That’s how Cindy
talks — and writes. Can you imagine writing like you talk?] Doesn’t
even do that for Elizabeth [meaning, the Queen].” 
From one New York Post gossipeuse to another. Liz Smith reported
that, along with Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow performed at that big
Democratic fundraiser the other day. Did you know that? Barry, oh, Barry,
how could you do this to us! He’s apparently a big left-winger. I
would have pegged him, for sure, as a Republican, or a Republican-leaner,
even if closeted. He has endured so much ridicule from all the sophisticati
over the years. I thought for sure that would have driven him into
our camp. But no. He’s hanging out with, and crooning for, the cool
people.
