HONEST ABE AND MCCLELLAN
The two names that encapsulate the title of this post are, of course, Abraham Lincoln and famed Union General GeorgeMcClellan. Lincoln's fabled reputation for honesty was probably built more upon a mountain of apocrypha than upon a mountain of truth, but he was, as far as politicians go, enough of a straight-talker (never mind that he, too, was a constitutional sodomite), that Americans - the North and border states, that is, found him of sufficient integrity, resolve, and intelligence so as to elect him as President in 1864, for his second term.
1864 was the year that the tide turned - for good - for the Union in the Civil War. Had it not done so, one of the generals earlier "retired" by Lincoln who ran against Lincoln on the Democratic ticket might possibly have defeated him. This "retired" general, McClellan, had quite a chore of convincing Americans that he was the horse to which they should change midstream, and that he could somehow improve upon Lincoln's conduct of the war, as sloppy, start and go, and meandering as it sometimes was. Poor McClellan. He first had to take orders from Lincoln, a man whom Lincoln, from what history tells us, did not hold in the highest of esteem, and then had the honor of being trounced by Lincoln as McClellan tried to make an issue of the supposed strong suit qualities that Lincoln used to form (so McClellan thought) erroneous judgdments over men like McClellan.
Flash forward, oh, 140 years or so. The party of Lincoln remains - in name, if not quite - not quite - in spirit. Until two days ago, that party was represented on a battlefield of sorts - a battlefield of communication of information - one of "spin" - of protecting the President under the alleged guise of presenting useful information to America (in a literal battlefield, the President and country are protected by sword, and those who do battle provide the President information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of opponents) - by yet another man named McClellan. This McClellan - no relation to George - was named Scott (he has a brother named Mark who also works in the current federal government; times may change, but patronage is forever).
McClellan, S., like McClellan, G., played the part of the good soldier for several years. McClellan, G., could not have enjoyed this role. McClellan, S., certainly did not, if the pained looks of types of constipation he effected that one did not know even existed at press conferences are any indications. While Lincoln's honesty may have been in doubt, no one has yet to prove that Lincoln lied to McClellan, G. However, McClellan, S., was most certain lied to by his superiors regarding the facts of a certain affair known as "Plamegate." McClellan, unaware that he was being lied to, spouted the lies as truth to the American public. McClellan, G., was cashiered by Lincoln, partly because of Lincoln's penchant for playing for musical generals, and partly because of McClellan's own shortcomings. McClellan, S., two days ago, "resigned," a day after the new Chief of Staff announced that personnel changes would be immediately forthcoming and that any individual who wished to resign should do so as soon as possible (lest he or she be terminated).
McClellan, G., must have been motivated to run for President from a sense of anger derived from having been a dumped loyal foot solider. If ever there was a loyal foot soldier that has been automatically dumped, it is McClellan, S. Will he avenge himself upon this White House? I mean, it's not like there's a Civil War brewing, and McClellan, S. was actually and repeatedly lied to. These two facts make it awfully hard for McClellan's detractors to say that he would be an opportunist should McClellan, S., somehow find a way to avenge himself upon the current White House.
There is, however, a difference between Generals and spokesthugs, between then and now. Generals live in a world that is not shellacked by spin; spokesthugs are required to do the shellacking themselves, to the point where they lose the ability to tell the difference between the shellack and the real thing, even after their spokesthugitude -in its official capacity - has died. Something tells me that McClellan, S., will not be saying, or doing, anything of value, any time soon. That would after all, be keeping in character.
1864 was the year that the tide turned - for good - for the Union in the Civil War. Had it not done so, one of the generals earlier "retired" by Lincoln who ran against Lincoln on the Democratic ticket might possibly have defeated him. This "retired" general, McClellan, had quite a chore of convincing Americans that he was the horse to which they should change midstream, and that he could somehow improve upon Lincoln's conduct of the war, as sloppy, start and go, and meandering as it sometimes was. Poor McClellan. He first had to take orders from Lincoln, a man whom Lincoln, from what history tells us, did not hold in the highest of esteem, and then had the honor of being trounced by Lincoln as McClellan tried to make an issue of the supposed strong suit qualities that Lincoln used to form (so McClellan thought) erroneous judgdments over men like McClellan.
Flash forward, oh, 140 years or so. The party of Lincoln remains - in name, if not quite - not quite - in spirit. Until two days ago, that party was represented on a battlefield of sorts - a battlefield of communication of information - one of "spin" - of protecting the President under the alleged guise of presenting useful information to America (in a literal battlefield, the President and country are protected by sword, and those who do battle provide the President information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of opponents) - by yet another man named McClellan. This McClellan - no relation to George - was named Scott (he has a brother named Mark who also works in the current federal government; times may change, but patronage is forever).
McClellan, S., like McClellan, G., played the part of the good soldier for several years. McClellan, G., could not have enjoyed this role. McClellan, S., certainly did not, if the pained looks of types of constipation he effected that one did not know even existed at press conferences are any indications. While Lincoln's honesty may have been in doubt, no one has yet to prove that Lincoln lied to McClellan, G. However, McClellan, S., was most certain lied to by his superiors regarding the facts of a certain affair known as "Plamegate." McClellan, unaware that he was being lied to, spouted the lies as truth to the American public. McClellan, G., was cashiered by Lincoln, partly because of Lincoln's penchant for playing for musical generals, and partly because of McClellan's own shortcomings. McClellan, S., two days ago, "resigned," a day after the new Chief of Staff announced that personnel changes would be immediately forthcoming and that any individual who wished to resign should do so as soon as possible (lest he or she be terminated).
McClellan, G., must have been motivated to run for President from a sense of anger derived from having been a dumped loyal foot solider. If ever there was a loyal foot soldier that has been automatically dumped, it is McClellan, S. Will he avenge himself upon this White House? I mean, it's not like there's a Civil War brewing, and McClellan, S. was actually and repeatedly lied to. These two facts make it awfully hard for McClellan's detractors to say that he would be an opportunist should McClellan, S., somehow find a way to avenge himself upon the current White House.
There is, however, a difference between Generals and spokesthugs, between then and now. Generals live in a world that is not shellacked by spin; spokesthugs are required to do the shellacking themselves, to the point where they lose the ability to tell the difference between the shellack and the real thing, even after their spokesthugitude -in its official capacity - has died. Something tells me that McClellan, S., will not be saying, or doing, anything of value, any time soon. That would after all, be keeping in character.
posted by EnterCenter at 9:44 PM
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