Gore Vidal blows the lid off McCain’s Vietnam captivity
posted at 3:30 pm on June 15, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Dark humor, dementia, or just a prominent leftist contrarian letting his prominent leftist contrarianism run away with him? Like Ace says, it’s bittersweet insofar as it instantly destroys the credibility of someone whose relevance already petered out long ago. As such, it’s politically useless, except to the extent some enterprising reporter wants to put one of his acolytes on the spot by asking if he/she agrees with it.
And what about Mr. McCain? Disaster. Who started this rumor that he was a war hero? Where does that come from, aside from himself? About his suffering in the prison war camp?
Everyone knows he was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. That’s what he tells us.
Exit question: Help Vidal fill in the blanks. Where was Maverick and what he was up to during the “lost years”? My guess: Stoned constantly, shacked up on a ranch somewhere in the midwest with 10-20 other people, living off the land and trying to “find himself.”
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Where was McCain? He was partying with an AWOL GW Bush, that’s what.
Gore Vidal is such has-been, whose highest level of accomplishment was just a tad bit better than average.
hunter on June 15, 2008 at 9:39 PM
Here we go, the McCain attacks are coming…
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 9:40 PM
Dont worry, he has accused me of being a liberal, knowing nothing about the law (I am a law student), and saying that I am not really in the Navy (because I work nights). He is a Pig, playing with him only gets ya dirty.
Squid Shark on June 15, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Gore Vidal? Didn’t he invent Vidal Sassoon?
p40tiger on June 15, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Well you’re essentially trying to root out non-liberal conservatives from the conservative movement. So while calling you a liberal might not be an interesting, insightful, original, difficult or atypical accusation its essentially true.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Not quite.
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 10:07 PM
an unusual take.
Entelechy on June 15,2008 at 4:16PM.
Entelechy: Another interview nugget of gold,and according
to Tom Wolfe,another 800 years of America!
And as Tom says,be happy with what you got,
a strange concept!
See,its not everyone else that’s loony,its
the moonbat crazies that belong to that
Liberal Party! ————————–:)
canopfor on June 15, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Well, this settles it. Gore Vidal’s incoherence clearly indicates that he is brain dead and there is no hope. Pursuant to the Terri Schaivo Standard, we have no choice but to make him die with dignity. Now hand me that big fluffy pillow…
Sean A on June 15, 2008 at 10:11 PM
I mean how bizarre must one be to call out an anonymous poster on a blog, assuming they have all the answers to all of life’s problems and questions, including knowing all of the other anonymous poster’s political leanings?
Obviously the vituperations, rantings and loon mating call of a mad man/woman.
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 10:12 PM
No, he invented the internet.
labrat on June 15, 2008 at 10:17 PM
Hahaha. Fair enough. I take it back. I’m just in one of my anti-Johnson (as in Charles) moods. Nothing to do with you really.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Proof.
labrat on June 15, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Vidal is on a riff, don’t stop him.
It’ll be another one thrown under Obsama’s bus if Gore V. can keep talking in this open vein.
profitsbeard on June 15, 2008 at 10:23 PM
BTW, there used to be an awful lot of Paulbots here making this same exact argument. Treacher showed up (I covered the 6 a little) and blew them away. There may be a few still lurking around though. If you see any, let me know…I love stomping the roaches…
AUINSC on June 15, 2008 at 10:30 PM
I can’t stand Charles Johnson., I remember him when he was a moonbat loon….
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Just because he’s crossed over the bridge and is now a member of the Far Right doesn’t exactly make him normal…
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 10:39 PM
It is always amazing how most of them go from one extreme to the other, like David Horowitz (whom I actually like). But he went from Black Panther sympathizer to a pretty far right guy.
Squid Shark on June 15, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Exactly, it’s almost like someone who is always searching for something to believe in or not to believe in.
Like on the Far left it’s this quest to believe the country attacked itself and our leaders are invloved in murder, mayhem and human sacrafice, mind altering experiments, child kidnappings. it’s disgusting.
On The Right they have their own brand of Truther movement -it’s the Muslim or anything Arab fear, or they take on this broad minded assumption that someone isn’t patriotic enough if they do not believe what they believe. And they state their opinion with such proclamation and conviction. It’s so manical and such a study in meglomania.
But in the end it’s all vulgar behavior, all very unAmerican.
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Neither Charles Johnson nor David Horowitz are far right.
They both believe that while Islam is a fine, peaceful religion there are a few troublemakers who are misinterpreting Islam to create a ruckus. (A minority of extremists, blah, blah, blah.)
Other than that they are liberal on social issues and immigration.
My word, if these right-wing liberals are now considered far-right then what does that make me?
Slightly to the right of the Anti-Christ?
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Yulk, those were some ugly doos!
surrounded on June 15, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Since when is David Horowitz liberal on social issues and immigration?
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Indeed. John Kerry spent 4 months in vietnam, earned 3 purple hears that were self inflicted and/or required no hospital stay, just bandages … and John McCain battled the north vietnamese any way he could that was humanly possible and them some being tortured for five long years and resisting every day …
Clearly, its simple to see the real hero here.
wise_man on June 15, 2008 at 11:12 PM
Its got nought to with Arabs and everything to do with Islam.
The Koran says to “kill the unbelievers wherever you find them.”
But that is the irony of HotAir – it is totally neurotic.
HA posts entries by Robert Spencer clearly delineating what Muslims believe and how they are required to act according to their religion.
Yet Ed Morrissey and AllahPundit have to pretend that all of this is untrue in order to function as good, loyal neoconservatives in thrall to the Republican establishment.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 11:14 PM
You’re not even American, are you?
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 11:16 PM
He has very strict rules on anti-immigration articles at FP and will only publish articles submitted from an obtuse perspective that are within his censure. I am not sure of his position on social issues and was thinking more of Johnson here.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 11:18 PM
As anyone who has ever conversed with me in a protracted discussion on HA will probably know, no, I am not American.
You used the phrase “unAmerican” upthread so I suppose you view my not being American as some kind of score against me.
The Terms of Use at this blog state that this is a conservative web site and doesn’t mention national origin.
Nonetheless I have frequently mentioned that I am not American, even to the point of being mocked by one commenter a few months ago.
My criticism is not diminished by my non-national status so you can either respond to it or not.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 11:28 PM
David Horowitz spoke at the Georgia Christian Alliance’s 2008 Faith, Family & Freedom Kickoff Event put on by the Georgia Christian Alliance back in February.
He’s pretty Conservative on all issues.
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 11:28 PM
You guys have great posts,I love to read them. Thanks.
lizzee on June 15, 2008 at 11:32 PM
I hope this is not an issue but if it is then I would like to apologise to Michelle Malkin for illegally immigrating to her blog.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 11:33 PM
Okay I believe you that he is Conservative on most issues but it does not follow that he is a member of the far right.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 11:38 PM
Fox is covering the Politics of Smears as I am writing this.
McCain needs to set up a website as well, as Obama did, to out-smart and put a stop to these yahoos who believe everything they hear and read, without any proof or evidence.
To imply John McCain has lost his bearings is a smear.
To imply John McCain was handing our enemies info is a smear.
Even to imply John Kerry shot himself is a smear, it has never been proven.
People should be held accountable for their lies and garbage. without any evidence to prove their tall-tales.
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 11:40 PM
I disagree with you, sorry.
Are you an American?
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 11:41 PM
I already told you, no.
You disagree with me but offer no arguments.
If you would deign to argue with a non-American we could have a discussion and work out what exactly it is we disagree on and possibly reach a common ground.
I have to assume at this point, due to your behaviour, that you are not a Christian.
aengus on June 15, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Everyone here knows I am not Christian, I am a jew. My middle name is a Hebrew name, but I guess you didn’t take note.
AprilOrit on June 15, 2008 at 11:53 PM
Everyone except me. What is your middle name? Orit? I know pretty much nothing about Hebrew. I know little about Jews.
You’re still not providing arguments so I guess you don’t want to have a discussion. Fair enough.
aengus on June 16, 2008 at 12:02 AM
Not at this hour, it’s been a very long day.
AprilOrit on June 16, 2008 at 12:51 AM
Okay. I’m going to bed. Goodnight.
aengus on June 16, 2008 at 12:59 AM
aengus, you shouldn’t bother with gombeen balbhans
Entelechy, hallo; what’s shakin’, babe?
Janos Hunyadi on June 16, 2008 at 2:18 AM
Hey! You noticed that too.
MB4 on June 16, 2008 at 2:38 AM
Tut, tut, child! Everything’s got a moral, if only you can find it.
Sigy on June 16, 2008 at 2:45 AM
Grassy Knoll.
soundingboard on June 16, 2008 at 5:34 AM
John McCain is still not a crypto-Nazi, but I imagine Gore Vidal is still, I suppose, a faggot.
I believe that was a modifed William F. Buckley(RIP) zinger.
Looks like Al Gore Vidal is still the same after all these years.
BKennedy on June 16, 2008 at 7:11 AM
It’s too bad Bill Buckley isn’t around still because we could have seen Buckley whoop Vidal V2.0!
Reaganite84 on June 16, 2008 at 7:49 AM
It’s no more complex than the village atheist blaspheming in the square. If by chance he doesn’t get pilloried, he is satisfied to have moved his cause forward. If he does get pilloried, he is satisfied with being persecuted by the intolerant theists. Either way he wins.
Akzed on June 16, 2008 at 9:10 AM
My dad worked with Wolfe in the early 1960s, and he was a conservative back then, too. It was his iconoclastic choice of topics, and his ability to skewer liberals without coming straight at them thanks to his style of writing that kept him from suffering the same demonization as other conservative-leaning writers (a less interesting writer than Wolfe would have never survived his disemboweling of Leonard Bernstein’s 1970 dinner party for the Black Panthers).
jon1979 on June 16, 2008 at 9:45 AM
I don’t like John McCain But he served in the military and was taken as a war prisoner which means that he gave more to his country than I’ve given. (Credit where credit is due.)
Ernest on June 16, 2008 at 9:53 AM
Gore, Who? Didn’t he invent global warming?
Seriosly… anyone who thinks Gore Vidal is relevant at this point in history is seriously dating themselves.
Lawrence on June 16, 2008 at 10:34 AM
McCain isn’t the president I want but he is levels above the other choice we will have.
Lawrence on June 16, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Perhaps you should keep your discussion confined to Dublin?
AprilOrit on June 16, 2008 at 10:37 AM
It is not neurotic, it is balanced, and supposedly then fair.
I dunno about Ed, I haven’t bothered to find out, but Allah is an avowed atheist or in many respects is agnostic. So in this context any religion is just as equal to any other. The fact that Allah realizes the danger of Islam and allows Spencer to speak about it reflects a level of wisdom greater than the average citizen of western culture.
What is “unfair” about this type reporting is that in reporting Islam “equally” we fuel the credibility of the Islamic message. This may reflect good initiative it is clearly bad judgment in that this type of neutral credibility simply adds fuel to the fire of Islamic radicalism.
Ironically, when Islam wins these cultural battles the first people eliminated are those who take a neutral atheistic stand on religion. Those of us on the religious right of Christianity are often given a few second chances before we are beheaded.
Lawrence on June 16, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Thanks for the advice, AprilOrit
pogue mahon
Janos Hunyadi on June 16, 2008 at 3:49 PM
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