This piece from Peter at Right Wing Watch, describing Rick Santorum’s weekend, is just bizarre on so many levels:
Santorum reprised those remarks on Saturday night at Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, with some additional Tea-infused red meat: Government entitlement programs are the equivalent of a schoolyard pusher getting kids hooked on drugs. If “Obamacare” is not repealed, America will cease to be America. It will be <shudder> France.
Denouncing Kennedy was not Santorum’s only noteworthy line of attack. He also took on Americans of the World War II generation, describing how the “greatest generation” stayed out of the war while Europe fell and Britain was bombed, while the Pacific Rim fell to Japan, and turned back a boatload of Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis. That generation was only great once it was awakened by Pearl Harbor, said Santorum. This generation, he said, has an even tougher job (!). Waking up Americans is this generation’s Pearl Harbor moment, he told his audience, and you are Paul Revere. It’s a seriously mixed metaphor, but everyone knew what he meant. They have to drop everything to save America between now and 2012.
My favorite history lesson has always been the one when Paul Revere rode a dinghy through the Pacific Ocean and warned of the impending Japanese bomb. It always bring a single tear to my eye.
It is so sad that there is a segment of the American electorate, in this supposed “greatest country ever,” which is so intellectually deprived that grotesquely mixed metaphors like the one above not only works on them, but motivates them.
I did not realize that Ralph Reed had Santorum in his coalition. Thanks for leaking this.
I don’t know about leaking Santorum.
Ben–ewww.
Neal said it. blame him.
Typical RRRWer. He denounces the notion of using tax dollars to provide health care for all but practically sprays his shorts over the idea over using them to kill foreigners.
I really, really hope this right-winger doesn’t become a serious contender for the 2012 election.
On a lighter note, am I the only one who thinks the mention of “Santorum” and “spraying shorts” is disgusting but hilarious?
Why do the righties always pick on France? It seems to me the French are quite happy with their 40 hour work weeks (that’s long enough for me!), universal health care and guaranteed vacations. I heard a French woman on TV recently say that in France the gov’t is afraid of the people, and in America the people are afraid of the gov’t. I wish we WERE more like the French!
Santorum=Javert
Evan, I am not sure what you are saying about mixed metaphores. Are you suggesting people don’t know Paul Revere’s ride was during the colonial times or that one is just not supposed to mix metaphores?
Frequent use of mixed metaphors, unless done with intent and humor, is not usually a mark of coherent thought.
Thanks. Yes, it does suggest at least intellectual laziness.
I grew up in France. You want to know what really sucks about France? 1) their school days are too long and they go to school for four hours on Saturday (I HATE that), 2) it takes them too long to build things; 3) this is the worst: they are much meaner to immigrants than we are–to the point of cruelty (I HATE that); 4) their taxis smell like old sweat and Gitanes cigarettes, 5) French barber shop music, as we used to call it (aka pop music played on an accordian), will make you insane, 6) existentialism. Also, it rains way too much. But otherwise, France is totally fantastic. Also, they have the best medical care in the whole world. Bonus points: one out of five French guys are very cute. I think I will move back there soon.
“I think I will move back there soon.” Which part? North, South, Paris? I am an unrepentant Francophile.