Reason Magazine
- reason.com
- reason.tv
- reason.org
- Donate
- Site Search:
Reason on Facebook
Reason on Twitter
Reason on YouTube
Reason RSSGet Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsadvertisements
Gergen, You Magnificent Bastard, I Read Your Quote About Tom Daschle's Integrity.
"One
cannot underestimate how widely admired Tom Daschle is in
Washington for his integrity."—David
Gergen, adviser to too many presidents and all-around political
gadfly.
The Extispicator|2.4.09 @ 2:39PM|#
It is hard to underestimate zero.
Maybe it's one of those backhanded compliments.
|2.4.09 @ 2:39PM|#
"One cannot underestimate how widely admired Tom Daschle is in
Washington for his integrity"
How is Gergen not telling the truth here? I have not doubt Daschle
was admired for his integrity. Do you people actually think other
Senators consider not paying your taxes to be any kind of a sin
when committed by an elite?
Gillespie misses the point. That quote says nothing about Gergen or
Daschle and everything about Washington.
|2.4.09 @ 2:47PM|#
They truly imagine themselves as super smart geniuse, who the
public should worship for their willingness to help us run our
miserable lives.
Given this, they think that any personal benefits they can get out
of helping make this wonderful country are more than 100%
deserved.
Anyone involved in public service is one step closer to saint liek
status compared to us lowly mouth breathing, carbon footprint
creating, future liabilities of the american government. Any one of
us who dies a quick premature death is merely decreasing the carbon
footprint while also helping the country cut entitlement
liabilities.
|2.4.09 @ 2:47PM|#
Was that in English? I could swear that he said something that sounded like English, but it made no sense the way I heard it. Maybe it was Dutch or Frisian.
|2.4.09 @ 2:47PM|#
Wait a second:
"One cannot underestimate" means that it is impossible to estimate
too low.
In other words, no matter how low you estimate admiration for
Daschle's integrity to be, you cannot be wrong.
He says nothing about overestimating, though.
Alan Vanneman|2.4.09 @ 2:49PM|#
I guess no one's talked to Tom's first wife, you know, the one
who gave him three kids and then watched him waltz off with Miss
Kansas, aka Miss Access.
I find it amazing that anyone can let a business buddy "give" him a
limo and driver for three years and think he's got a future in
politics. But I guess when you're making $2 mil a year you don't
have time to think.
|2.4.09 @ 2:52PM|#
Was that in English? I could swear that he said something
that sounded like English, but it made no sense the way I heard
it.
It doesn't have to make sense. Gergen is just towing the lion for
the establishment.
Citizen Nothing|2.4.09 @ 2:53PM|#
And I love "towing the lion," you morans!
(But I could see how it might get old, quick.)
|2.4.09 @ 3:02PM|#
CN, running gags get old fast, so you might as well use them
constantly while they're still hot. Otherwise you might be full
retard.
Another vote for joe's interpretation.
dfd|2.4.09 @ 3:03PM|#
Re: "One cannot underestimate"
In other words, no matter how low you estimate admiration for
Daschle's integrity to be, you cannot be wrong.
No, more like no matter how low you estimate admiration for
Daschle's integrity to be, it is lower still. You are always wrong.
In other words, you're always overestimating admiration
for his integrity (unless somehow you manage to get it just exactly
right).
|2.4.09 @ 3:18PM|#
Citizen Nothing | February 4, 2009, 2:53pm | #
And I love "towing the lion," you morans!
(But I could see how it might get old, quick.)
How is one to conduct a guerrilla campaign against such naysayers?
It's not going to "get old". It's going to enter the lexicon and
become accepted usage.
|2.4.09 @ 3:22PM|#
Literally speaking Joe is right. Gergen's words mean the opposite of what Gillespie thinks they do. That said, I doubt that is what Gergen meant. I think after you have been a talking head for so long, you can no longer speak in clear sentences. You become like Lord in the Foundation Novels that comes to the Foundation and talks for two days and after he was done said absolutely nothing of meaning. That is Gergen.
Citizen Nothing|2.4.09 @ 3:26PM|#
Actually, looking at the post, I now think Gillespie knew
EXACTLY what Gergen's words mean.
He's got a goddamn doctorate in literature, after all.
|2.4.09 @ 3:27PM|#
"He's got a goddamn doctorate in literature, after all."
You would have to have a doctorate in bullshit to understand
anything Gergen says.
Citizen Nothing|2.4.09 @ 3:30PM|#
"You would have to have a doctorate in bullshit to understand
anything Gergen says."
Apparently, even if you're Gergen.
dfd|2.4.09 @ 3:38PM|#
Gergen's words mean the opposite of what Gillespie thinks
they do.
I'm pretty sure Gillespie knew what they meant literally, and what
Gergen meant them to say were opposites. In fact, the perhaps
Freudian nature of the comment is what makes it post-worthy,
otherwise what's the point? Also, the link Gillespie supplies
spells it out pretty clearly as well as pointing out how it's
somewhat backhanded to (attempt to) compliment others opinion of
your integrity rather than your integrity itself.
|2.4.09 @ 4:00PM|#
Isn't Gergen pretty much the opposite of a gadfly?
A gadfly is an annoyance to elected officials. Gergen is more like
a masseuse. Everyone in Washington has integrity, per Gergen,
unless they are indicted.
|2.4.09 @ 4:12PM|#
Actually the misuse of "underestimated" is pointed out in the
linked blogpost. But joe still deserves an attaboy for recognizing
it independently. I know I didn't see it.
No, I was like PL. I saw some words on my screen. Individually the
were recognizable as words in the english language, together the
conveyed no real meaning.
But then perhaps my problem was that I somehow expected them to
make sense.
Neu Mejican|2.4.09 @ 4:41PM|#
Regarding the joe parse:
"One cannot underestimate how widely admired Tom Daschle is in
Washington for his integrity."
In context, the correct summary of this statement is
"If you want to know how good Daschle's chances of being confirmed
were prior to his pulling out of the nomination, you will be
inaccurate in your prediction if you underestimate how admired Tom
Dachle is in Washington..."
There is a reason people complain about quotes being pulled out of
context.
Heroes|2.4.09 @ 4:52PM|#
The left has Che, Mao and Marx.
The right has Franco, Friedman, and Von Mises.
The center has Gergen.
You suck center, you suck.
quote|2.4.09 @ 5:11PM|#
Definitely from "Patton"
"Rommel, you magnificent bastard! I read your book!"
|2.4.09 @ 5:23PM|#
What a great movie! Coppola (the writer, not the director, I hasten to add) at his best.
|2.4.09 @ 5:38PM|#
To clarify for those who don't know, Francis Ford Coppola wrote the screenplay for Patton. I didn't mean there were two different Coppolas. There's only one, even if his movie-making mojo is gone. Well, and there's Nick Cage.
|2.4.09 @ 7:11PM|#
I can't imagine a more perfect combination -- Tommy "Titmouse" Daschle and David "Gummyworm" Gergen -- two perfect Washington creatures, two perfect a--h---s
|2.4.09 @ 7:16PM|#
Sarah Palin's tax returns indicate that she did not include the
$43,900 received for travel by her husband and kids. Palin claims
to have donated $8,000 worth of clothing the last two years to
charity. Palin's husband claims his hobby, you know the
snowmobiles, is a business which lost $10,000 last year. Palin
charged the tax payers for living in her own house,(Palin owns six
homes), and didn't report it.
It does not appear that Gov. Palin reported as income the per diem
reimbursement she received for travel, meals, and lodging expenses
as governor of Alaska. Her 2007 W-2 reports $107,987 of income as
governor, and the Washington Post pegs her governor's salary as
$125,000.
In layman's terms that means that Palin was charging Alaskan tax
payers for staying at home and calling it travel, then she didn't
report it. This is illegal. There is no question that these per
diems are taxable income.
|2.4.09 @ 7:18PM|#
I wonder how David "Every Democrat's Tame Republican" Gergen would even recognize integrity if he ever someone with it.
|2.4.09 @ 7:25PM|#
Jeopardy answer: Sofia Coppola
Jeopardy question: Who in Godfather III proved beyond a shadow of a
doubt that nepotism is it's own punishment?
|2.4.09 @ 7:28PM|#
Senator Kent Conrad (aka, friend of Angelo of Countrywide
Mortgage fame), a North Dakota Democrat and a close friend of
Daschle, said "I don't know anyone more honorable, more decent,
more honest and more qualified for this position," said Conrad, a
former state tax commissioner in North Dakota.
The sad part is that it's probably true.
|2.4.09 @ 7:41PM|#
you mean David (This Gun's for Hire) Gergen? One of the fundamental issues in Washington is that they are so out of touch they don't even realize they've entered the world of farce....
HellAsMad|2.4.09 @ 7:46PM|#
Sarah Palin's tax returns indicate that she did not include
the $43,900 received for travel by her husband and kids. Palin
claims to have donated $8,000 worth of clothing the last two years
to charity. Palin's husband claims his hobby, you know the
snowmobiles, is a business which lost $10,000 last year. Palin
charged the tax payers for living in her own house,(Palin owns six
homes), and didn't report it.
A great public service you are doing alerting us to the fact Obama
is trying to sneak Palin into his cabinet. We will scale the
Bastille and rip up the tennis courts and behead the autocracy to
prevent the abominable Palin from signing on. It wont go down, I
tell you, it wont.
|2.4.09 @ 7:47PM|#
Per diem payments that are reimbursements for business expenses are not taxable and do not have to be reported unless they exceed actual expenses which they never actually seem to do.
|2.4.09 @ 7:51PM|#
Poster above speaking about Gov. Palin: "There is no question
that these per diems are taxable income."
Unless of course you know anything about the tax code and how tax
laws have been interpreted for the last 80 years or so - then that
statement is not only questionable, but actually complete
rubbish.
Not sure why I bothered to post the obvious. For some people, if
they can think it up, it must be true.
Pierre D|2.4.09 @ 7:52PM|#
No, Nick, Sophia is no Coppola. She is nobody.
What is there not to love about the beautiful Ms. Sophia? Here, she
is a bit of a cult icon. A Goddess really.
HellasMad|2.4.09 @ 7:55PM|#
Not sure why I bothered to post the obvious. For some
people, if they can think it up, it must be true.
Dave, meet joe. If you haven't met him yet, your guess here is spot
on.
not alaskan|2.4.09 @ 8:02PM|#
joe (7:16) said "In layman's terms that means that Palin was
charging Alaskan tax payers for staying at home and calling it
travel, then she didn't report it. This is illegal. There is no
question that these per diems are taxable income."
Actually this isn't nearly as clear cut. While I don't have direct
knowledge of the plan in question, I'd suggest getting an
understanding of IRC Sec. 62 and Treasury Regulation 1.62-2 before
running your mouth and speaking in absolutes.
Amongst other things, I'd point out that it's the employer's
responsibility to include the per diem in the W-2 if applicable
under the law. And please spare us the conspiracy theory where
Palin calls the hapless payroll clerk and demands that he/she
deliberately underreport income on her W-2.
Thanks for playing.
|2.4.09 @ 8:06PM|#
Gabe said:
"They truly imagine themselves as super smart geniuse, who the
public should worship for their willingness to help us run our
miserable lives.
Given this, they think that any personal benefits they can get out
of helping make this wonderful country are more than 100%
deserved."
This is exactly how the Russian Communist Party members saw
themselves. And we saw how well that worked out.
BlogDog|2.4.09 @ 8:12PM|#
I can't understand how the goggle-eyed melonhead ever got to
such an exalted position in Washington. A mediocre mind at the very
best.
This from one who knew him at USNews and briefly as a neighbor.
|2.4.09 @ 8:13PM|#
Gergen is a sad example of what an honest, admirable person can become after years of playing the feckless toady for people who do not love America. He was brainwashed by the illusion that closeness to power is closeness to the national good and lived in the mistaken hope that the crumbling walls around him could be restored by his service. He is a Greek tragedy in a single lifetime and he will be buried without honor or the hope of honorable memory.
|2.4.09 @ 8:13PM|#
It's pretty obvious that the people who are the permanent washington establishment are hopelessly corrupt. Why are they not paying taxes? Why are those of us who pay taxes supposed to continue to pay for the Gov. when so many do not contribute even those who are in positions to raise taxes.
|2.4.09 @ 8:28PM|#
None of us can "misunderestimate" the ethics and morals of this
life long pork feeder.
The numbers of those that also fail our tax law includes most
members of the
Washington establishment.
|2.4.09 @ 9:03PM|#
How about passing a law that no member of the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial Branch may derive economic value from having served in an elective or appointed position? Call it the Harry Truman Standard; no personal exploitation of the position held in service to the people.
|2.4.09 @ 9:07PM|#
RE: the abominable Mr. Gergen... I think the best label for him is "bow-tied bum-kisser", a la Howie Carr. This gutter crawling ass-kisser is simply a power whore who would praise Idi Amin if asked. And, hey, isn't that the Pillsbury Doughboy's head he's using?
|2.4.09 @ 9:08PM|#
Joe: "...Palin was charging Alaskan tax payers." Uh, wrong, Joe ol' buddy. We don't pay state taxes in Alaska.
|2.4.09 @ 9:44PM|#
Joe, you are an ignorant twit and stop getting your tax advice
from the unemployed boobs at DU, Daily Kos and MSNBC.
Governor Palin has nothing to do with the FACT that Bambi can't
find a cabinet member who isn't tax-cheating fraud.
Put down the bong and try to stay on topic.
|2.4.09 @ 9:50PM|#
Whoa Dude:
You mean this might not be a prinicpled and highly nuanced stance
against the injustice of a progressive versus a flat tax? I'm like,
totally bummed.
|2.4.09 @ 10:50PM|#
"You can't underestimate" is an old joke line that was a favorite in the "Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys" days. I assume he didn't make it up, but he expected drunks at Texas honky tonks to get it. (They did.) Does Gergen assume we'll get the joke or doesn't he get it or. . .
|2.4.09 @ 11:03PM|#
Gergen has always been a "Pick Me, Pick Me" beggar for media attention. Another Monica from the Clinton White House.
Schoolyard Bully|2.4.09 @ 11:26PM|#
Gug-gen is we-tah-ded. Gug-gen is we-tah-ded. Gug-gen is we-tah-ded. Gug-gen is we-tah-ded. Throw this boy under the short bus.
|2.5.09 @ 9:02AM|#
Uh, wrong, Joe ol' buddy. We don't pay state taxes in
Alaska. I suppose the state budget is paid in snow,
then.
Remind me again, where does the phrase "income tax" appear in my
comment? Oh. Right. It doesn't.
Not Alaskan, Dave,
You miss the point - it's not that per diems are, in the whole,
taxable income, but that "per diems" for lodging and travel and
meals that were paid when she stayed at her own house are not
actual reimbursements for lodging and travel and meals. They're
just income. Read the comment again, fellas: "There's no question
that THESE per diems are taxable income."
Site comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245