Stars and stripes forever
Jay Nordlinger's NRO Impromptus column is one of my favorites. Jay covers a wide range of subjects with great spirit, bite, humor and humanity. His May 15 column is a good example. Here is Jay on the aftermath of Sarkozy's election:
A word about the French: After Sarkozy’s election, hundreds of university students in Paris “went on strike.” What does it mean to go on strike, if you’re a student? To refuse to attend class? Isn’t that called hooky? And who cares, really, if these students go on “strike”? Whom are they injuring, other than themselves? (Actually, the less Parisian education they have, the better off they may be.)Here is Jay on the Freedom House Worst of the Worst report:
Freedom House has identified “the worst of the worst” — that is, the most repressive regimes on earth. (For a story, go here.) North Korea is there, of course, and Burma, and Sudan — and Cuba. That’s a head-scratcher. I was taught that Castro’s is a just society where health care and literacy abound, where black people are respected, and where the poor have dignity. Is that not true? Was I possibly misled? But Wayne Smith, Jorge Domínguez, Anita Snow, Lucia Newman, PBS, and NPR wouldn’t lie...would they?Here is Jay on President Bush:
For some people, George W. Bush can do nothing right. He is not allowed to do one thing right — because he is either a demon or a dufus, depending. Depending on what? Depending on his critics’ rhetorical, ideological, or psychological need at the moment.You will smile. And, perhaps, be amazed, as I was.Take this little slip with the Queen of England. Bush said “1796” instead of “1976,” immediately corrected his error, and was absolutely charming about it. And much of the press acted like he pulled down his pants and mooned the woman.
Anyway, Bush was again absolutely charming when conducting a symphony orchestra in Virginia. You can read about it here. And the photos [including the one above] are especially good. The anti-Bushies will be nauseated — because Bush can do nothing right, nothing interesting, nothing endearing, nothing graceful, nothing human. Balanced people, I think, will smile.
UPDATE: A reader has kindly sent us the video above.
