The second-hottest item on the New York Times website over the last 12 hours has been a blog post by Dick Cavett called "The Wild Wordsmith of Wasilla." Who knew Dick Cavett had a New York Times blog? Can the liberal loathing of Sarah Palin actually make Dick Cavett -- who hasn't hosted a TV show since 1982 or made a cultural mark since a cameo in "Beetlejuice" in 1988 -- relevant again? Cavett certainly pushed all the right intellectual-superiority buttons:
I feel a little sorry for John. He aimed low and missed.
What will ambitious politicos learn from this? That frayed syntax, bungled grammar and run-on sentences that ramble on long after thought has given out completely are a candidate’s valuable traits?
And how much more of all that lies in our future if God points her to those open-a-crack doors she refers to? The ones she resolves to splinter and bulldoze her way through upon glimpsing the opportunities, revealed from on high.
Cavett thought Palin backers were as buffoonish as the governor herself:
Has there been a poll to see if the Sarah-ites are numbered among that baffling 26 percent of our population who, despite everything, still maintain that President George has done a heckuva job?
A woman in one of Palin’s crowds praised her for being “a mom like me … who thinks the way I do” and added, for ill measure, “That’s what I want in the White House.” Fine, but in what capacity?
Do this lady’s like-minded folk wonder how, say, Jefferson, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, et al (add your own favorites) managed so well without being soccer moms? Without being whizzes in the kitchen, whipping up moose soufflés? Without executing and wounding wolves from the air and without promoting that sad, threadbare hoax — sexual abstinence — as the answer to the sizzling loins of the young?
(In passing, has anyone observed that hunting animals with high-powered guns could only be defined as sport if both sides were equally armed?)
I’d love to hear what you think has caused such an alarming number of our fellow Americans to fall into the Sarah Swoon.
Could the willingness to crown one who seems to have no first language have anything to do with the oft-lamented fact that we seem to be alone among nations in having made the word “intellectual” an insult? (And yet…and yet…we did elect Obama. Surely not despite his brains.)
Sorry about all of the foregoing, as if you didn’t get enough of the lady every day in every medium but smoke signals.
I do not wish her ill. But I also don’t wish us ill. I hope she continues to find happiness in Alaska.
Some advice to Palin backers: whatever you do, don't make light of Cavett's depression. According to his blog, he may want to kill you:
I was able to say to them, I know that everyone here knows that feeling when people say to you, “Hey, shape up! Stop thinking only about your troubles. What’s to be depressed about? Go swimming or play tennis and you’ll feel a lot better. Pull up your socks!” And how you, hearing this, would like nothing more than to remove one of those socks and choke them to death with it.
Cavett even dares to call Clarence Thomas the "papoose" of Justice Scalia.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
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Comments Policy
Cavett was always in love
November 20, 2008 - 08:03 ET by marvlCavett was always in love with the sound of his own voice. Hard to take him seriously. He's about as relevant as a used condom floating in the Hudson River.
Gimmick
November 20, 2008 - 08:36 ET by cheesegraterIn Cavett's world, one overflowing with sameness, people get famous on a gimmick. When he looks at Gov. Palin he sees a gimmick and believes that is her popularity. Cavett is old. He is fading. No matter how much he and those like him villify Gov. Palin they want to be her. Cavett would sell his soul to be as famous as the Alaska Governor. He thinks that by disrepecting her he too can be admired by tens of millions of people, like Sarah. Cavett doesn't understand that it's not what is on the outside of Gov. Palin that millions admire, but the heart that beats inside her.
Get a LIFE!
November 20, 2008 - 15:51 ET by MNotaroWow, anyone else here think that maybe the left wing illuminati are obviously feeling SO very threatened by Gov Palin that they have nothing else better to do then continuing on with the media attack of her?! She has been ran over by the media and hacked to pieces and it's really getting old. When will the liberals be ready to move on? Obamatrons--find something else to do--something positive even! or is that impossible for you?!
Hey! As a Jersite, I object...
November 20, 2008 - 12:21 ET by AmericanEnergist...to your slandering of the Hudson River!!
My mom used to watch Cavett in the early 70's because it was 'hip'. She's probably rolling in her grave knowing what an irrelevant a$$wipe he has become.
www.ArmchairEnergist...
Dick Cavett?
November 20, 2008 - 08:05 ET by Jman449Who is that? I'm only 37 years old, I've never heard of him.
Sounds like he is appropriately named, though.
Does anyone else wish that we could stop the war in the Middle East and go to war with the likes of "Dick Cavett"? He can bring all the socks he wants to the battle, he won't last two minutes.
You haven't missed anything
November 20, 2008 - 13:29 ET by doug1950He was a tweedy, quasi-Bohemian talk show host whose glib style was considered entertainment by those who envisioned themselves "cool, with it people" in the hip crowd. I can't tell you one profound thing he ever said. It wasn't even good mind candy. Basically, it was like cocktail party banter. His laid back style of talking covered up the fact that he had nothing of any substance to say. He falls in the same crowd as Huge Hefner who is now some old, wrinkled pervert, wandering around his mansion in a Captain Crunch outfit trying to look like he still has it, if he ever did. I wonder if he was a greeter at Walmart would those silly women give him the time of day. (sarc. off) I thought Dick was dead too, at the least the smell of dead celebrity was gone until he just resurfaced. Who knew anyone was still interested in what he had to say?
Great description. I was
November 20, 2008 - 15:24 ET by stratmanGreat description.
I was going to say Cavett is/was the Liberal's version of William F. Buckley minus the higher intellect, the gravitas and genuine horse sense.
In essense, Cavett was the silky pony (John Edwards) of the talk show circuit back in the day. The flip and sarcastic yet dry humor of Cavett is alive in the likes of Jon Stewart (nee Leibowitz) albeit more coarsely.
Cavett thought Palin
November 20, 2008 - 08:15 ET by motherbeltCavett thought Palin backers were as buffoonish as the governor herself
Wow, Dick, way to stand out from the liberal crowd! Takes a lot of nerve to do that!!
\sarc
Right you are. The
November 20, 2008 - 08:20 ET by MidAmericaRight you are. The name calling and ridicule the left has always spewed out is really just an expression of their belief in their 'superiority'. In their world, a john kerry is an intellectual giant while Ronald Reagan was just a confused out of work 'B' movie actor.
Does the NYT really think
November 20, 2008 - 08:14 ET by SeashellDoes the NYT really think that Dick Cavett is revealant? Probably not so much ,but they couldn't resist publishing this anti-Palin piece.
Exactly,
November 20, 2008 - 08:15 ET by motherbeltExactly, Seashell.
Anything anti-Palin is relevant.
I hate when I misspell words
November 20, 2008 - 09:02 ET by SeashellI hate when I misspell words and don't catch it! :-(
We all know how often the
November 20, 2008 - 09:09 ET by motherbeltWe all know how often the fingers go faster than the brain! LOL
I wasn't correcting you...I knew what you meant.
Oh I know. It's just a
November 20, 2008 - 09:23 ET by SeashellOh I know. It's just a "pet peeve" of mine. My mother was an english teacher and drilled into my head the importance of proof reading, but I often hit the "post" button before I do. By the time I read it again it is to late to edit!
(ducking)
November 20, 2008 - 12:29 ET by AJBThen don't forget to capitalize English :-) Remember, you are erudite and a representative of those who think for themselves, can process information in large quantities and make educated and reasonable conclusions. We must present a good front.
Oh, yes. Don't overlook the EDIT link on the bottom of your posts. Saved my bacon a few times.
You only get to edit until
November 20, 2008 - 12:35 ET by Hunter12You only get to edit until someone replies to your post, so when it's something pithy, you must live with your mistakes.
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Sir Winston Churchill
LMAO!!!
November 20, 2008 - 12:47 ET by marpelLMAO!!!
Way to put pressure on a
November 20, 2008 - 16:25 ET by SeashellWay to put pressure on a gal! :-)
You have to hate it and love it
November 20, 2008 - 08:41 ET by prezpalin2012It's pretty tiring to hear the continued Palin bashing. Apparently even the has-beens are crawling out of the woodwork to put in their 2 cents worth.
On the other hand, I'm totally enjoying the fact that the libs feel SO threatened by the power and sincerity of Palin that she is still the hot topic even after having lost as Veep (not even Pres) in this past election. Goes to show that we are on the right track in wanting to keep her in a prominent place in the Conservative movement!
So True!!!
November 20, 2008 - 09:31 ET by capavYesterday I saw Mary Steenbergen (sp?) on Morning Joe complaining that the people who had negative things to say about Hillary had never met her. What a wonderful, warm person she is. I would have loved it if one of the nitwit panelists had asked.....you mean like what's happening to Sarah Palin? I am so sick of continuing to hear the bashing. The Time editor this morning was touting some poll about popular people or some such thing. Tina Fey was number 2 after Obama. He asked "what does it say when Tina Fey is above Sarah Palin?". Palin was 5. Guess what Mr. nose-in-the-air editor? (He creeps me out) It says that entertainment is more newsworthy than information. I think everyone should write a letter to the editor of every Alaskan newspaper and tell them what the highbrows think of them. They're obviously sub-human for liking Sarah. Also, if the Time poll is online (I haven't checked yet), I encourage everyone to go and vote for Sarah.
What is irrelevant here is the whole shtick
November 20, 2008 - 14:06 ET by needleIt has been remarked elsewhere in this article that Cavett is getting long in the tooth. In fact his almost the same age as John McCain. However, apparently Cavett is napping a lot more than McCain. The issues (good and bad) concerning Sarah Palin having been moot for half a month, Cavett is now rousing himself to add his croaking voice to the liberal outrage that someone like Palin should involve herself in the political scene. Go back to bed, Dick.
What make Palin so scary is that not only has she shown that she is very effective at cleaning up government but also that she has an unimpeachable Curriculum vitae. From the direction that the big O is heading it sure looks as if the need for Palin will be even greater in 2012 than it is now.
Impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat.
Disregard
November 20, 2008 - 08:52 ET by NewsbusterbrownDisregard.
Dick Cavett -- who hasn't
November 20, 2008 - 08:49 ET by NewsbusterbrownDick Cavett -- who hasn't hosted a TV show since 1982
I was speaking to the ghost of Groucho the other day and he informed me that Cavett did host his own talk show on CNBC for a few years during the '90s. ;-)
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
Who knew?
November 20, 2008 - 11:08 ET by doug1950Must have been on at 3 A.M. right after the hog report.
Dear Mr. Cavett, Why is
November 20, 2008 - 08:54 ET by Mike SDear Mr. Cavett,
Why is there no intellectual curiosity on your side as to why Sarah Palin has an 80+% approval rating in Alaska?
Did you know that Sarah doesn't actually shoot wolves from the air? She signed a law that allows it, because wolves are a problem in parts of Alaska. But you wouldn't understand anyone who lives, works, and solves problems outside of the big city environment that you live in. They talk different, and they eat different foods, and they hunt, and they have weird religious ideas.
Tell us again how it is so strange that a lady would want someone like herself in the White House rather than a big city guy like you who apparantly doesn't understand much about life in her world.
P.S. I'll bet one of those Roosevelts has eaten a few mooseburgers.
The schoolyard
November 20, 2008 - 09:37 ET by KC MulvilleSo much of recent political commentary sounds like seventh-graders in a schoolyard, spending all of their conversation in snide putdowns and "cutting" each other. Or better, like the "sweathogs" insulting each other all the time. Cavett's commentary is little more than the same thing, only by the kids with the pocket protectors and slide rules. We need a little more adult conversation.
Like it or not, leadership doesn't require academic skills. Some of the greatest leaders had little education or academic credentials. It does require intelligence, to be sure, but that's different from saying it requires education.
Both Clinton and Obama are like pretty-boy quarterbacks. When they have all day to pass, they can throw perfect spirals and make a lot of yards. But if you blitz them, and they feel pressure, their passes start to sail wide, they get jittery and happy feet in the pocket, and they collapse. Let's see what Obama does when he faces real pressure, and he can't run away from it.
Dick Cavett?
November 20, 2008 - 10:08 ET by IamTinmanWhy pay any attention to a guy who was irrevelent in the last century when he was't senile? Or a newspaper that would waste space on this attention seeker?
Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper.
Thomas Jefferson
Having lived in NY for many
November 20, 2008 - 10:39 ET by marpelHaving lived in NY for many years (thank God I'm back home in Texas now), I can tell you that Cavett is one of those upper east side living, smug, cocktail party going, liberal thinking, SNOBS, who does everything he can to pander and satisfy his little friends who are all of the same ilk; therefore, he gets to write a column in the NY Times...and his little friends hang on his every word like he's some sort of liberal guru. He has no clue how to get his hands dirty, and has no clue how hard our troops work to give him the opportunity to insult the intelligence of us in Fly-Over Country.
Hey, Cavett, I bet Sarah Palin could beat the crap out of you....and then you'd run away like a little girl...
Dick Cavett
November 20, 2008 - 11:12 ET by MrShyDick Cavett on IMDB.com:
Date of Birth
19 November 1936
Height
5' 6" (1.68 m)
Yeah, I don't think Palin will have much problem with DC. Of course, Sarah could probably beat the crap out of me, a good 6 inches taller and 30 years younger.
You're the next contestant on...
THE MESSIAH IS... LEFT !!
You know what they say?
November 20, 2008 - 11:19 ET by marpelYou know what they say? "Little man, big ego"....(I'm being very lady like now)
Sarah Palin could beat me up and I'd run to Mommy like a little girl...and I'm a girl!!!
The only thing I bet I could beat her in is shooting. Well, maybe not....
I bet
November 20, 2008 - 18:45 ET by panzerakcAll she'd have to do is look at him over the top of her glasses and he'd run away like a little girl.
I am a nitpicker--
November 20, 2008 - 10:51 ET by misterbillI possess an above average vocabulary. I am a good speller. (Never won a contest, but always made it to the semi-finals.) Since becoming a blogger over two years ago, my nitpicking has fallen by the wayside. I have read so many patriotic, intelligent blogs about our country and our politics that are laden with misspellings and garmmatical errors that I cannot count them.
It is the thought that counts. The hearts and minds expressing the way they feel about happenings in our country. I am no longer a purist, sometimes, I am an offender. It's the thought that counts.
If you needed a transfusion would you say, "Not from her, she uses poor grammar."
You betcha, you wouldn't. If the other person wants what you want--a return to the good America we know---would you really care if she ever won a spelling contest??
Dick Cavett--intelligent, well spoken, BORING!!!!
I will use this opportunity to let you know one misspelling that twists my shorts--if you cannot find something you did not LOOSE it, darn it! It is LOSE as in looz! Sorry, that one I couldn't hold back!!
An old nitpicker
PS I also notice that since I became an active blogger that I do not worry about errors many time. I just hit the send and let it fly!
I find it amazing that Dick
November 20, 2008 - 10:57 ET by UtherpendI find it amazing that Dick Cavett would deign the time to write an essay on how shallow Sarah Palin is but yet he helped to elect a person who never made clear what he was going to do for the country. Here is an intellectual snob that can't see the hypocrisy due to the tilt of his nose in the air.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that fe
Dick Cavett is still alive?
November 20, 2008 - 11:16 ET by R D HelmThat's why I love NB. You learn something new every day. :-)
-Dave
Did this country just elect Obama/Biden, or was it Soros/Ayers?
Zogby Poll Plus Shocking Video Show Obama Voters Uninformed
November 20, 2008 - 11:38 ET by Rush FanTim Graham wrote: "Cavett thought Palin backers were as buffoonish as the governor herself:"
If Palin backers are buffoonish, what can we say about Obama backers?
John Ziegler, former radio host and writer and director for "Blocking `The Path to 9/11': The Anatomy of a Smear," asked the polling firm Zogby International to poll those who voted for Barack Obama to ascertain how knowledgeable they were about Obama, the election in general, and what role the media may have played in their knowledge or, as it turned out, their lack of knowledge.
Zogby's poll showed: "The 12-question, multiple-choice survey found questions
regarding statements linked to Republican presidential candidate John
McCain and his vice-presidential running-mate Sarah Palin were far more
likely to be answered correctly by Obama voters than questions about
statements associated with Obama and Vice-President–Elect Joe Biden."
Additionally, John Ziegler took a video camera and interviewed Obama voters. John writes: "The purpose of the video/poll was to examine the impact of the news media on what Obama voters knew (or thought they knew) about the campaign." The shocking video can be seen at YouTube.
The video shows that many voters are uninformed, not only about the election but about things such as "who is Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid?" Surprisingly, they appeared to be well-informed about things related to Sarah Palin. This is not a surprise to those of us at NewsBusters, who have commented quite often on the lack of knowledge (and perhaps intelligence) of the voters, especially liberal, Democrat voters. Actually, most of these people couldn't define liberal or Democrat! It's a vey sad commentary on the condition of our country.
------------------------
As a side note, Newsbusters has documented the liberal bias of Wikipedia. The Wikipedia entry for John Ziegler criticizes the Zogby poll mentioned above. Under the heading Media Malpractice... How Obama Got Elected documentary Wikipedia states: "Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com has criticized the polling methods employed on Ziegler's behalf in making the argument presented in the documentary." What Wikipedia fails to mention is that Nate Silver writes for the far-left Daily Kos!
Rush F ... Did you see
November 20, 2008 - 11:53 ET by Jack BauerRush F ... Did you see Zogby's personal website "statement" about the poll which showed Obama's voters to be spectacularly uniformed?
You think Zogby has been getting blowback, hate mail and all the other usual threats from leftists for showing Obamabots in a bad light?
Not only do we have
November 20, 2008 - 12:55 ET by goldbarNot only do we have spectacular uniforms, we're more united as well.
Yeah, leadbar, real spiffy those uniforms of yours.
November 20, 2008 - 14:20 ET by R D HelmHope you get one that fits, too.
-Dave
Did this country just elect Obama/Biden, or was it Soros/Ayers?
Cavett..Geez...Is that old fossil still breathing?
November 20, 2008 - 12:57 ET by PrairieSkyWho rattled his cage? I wasn't even sure the old codger was still amongst the living. I remember him back from when I was in elementary school, and I'm 47!
I've always thought that Cavett was a boring, self-important boob, and he still is.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981
Dick Cavett Was Never Relevant
November 20, 2008 - 16:06 ET by BW222Not now, not then ... never!
BW222
Cavett always struck me as
November 20, 2008 - 16:14 ET by celatorCavett always struck me as one of these very sissified literary salon types desperate for attention from those he thought were "elites". As you say, he was never relevant or very interesting.
Palin was a disaster
November 21, 2008 - 07:40 ET by PopularTechBut what do I know Obama won.
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