Category Archives: Morality

Bush Groupie Dana Perino Writes Somethings

Art, Bush, Conflict, Media, Morality, Propaganda

Dana Perino and Megyn Kelly teared up today, as they recalled together (on a show that is billed as news analysis) the warmed-over wisdom and fortune-cookie profundities that tumbled from the mouth of George W. Bush. This was one of the more repulsive scenes that American television has thrown up, of late, although not quite as repulsive as the the success of Perino’s schmaltzy book.

The thing, which I assure you has zero edifying content—Perino is a cipher in a skirt whom only the predatory political process could have elevate—is # 1 on Amazon. Or so said celebrity journo Megyn Kelly. Stomach turning too is the number of “Shares,” “Likes” and fawning comments this bimbo and the anchor enabler received on Facebook and beyond.

Dana, in case you haven’t seen her around (lucky you), was a spokesperson for a man who was barely able to speak. She always smiles with pride when her boss’ “modest” government expansion is hearkened to nostalgically on Fox News. You remember the broad sweep of the Bush limited-government program: Medicare Part D, “No Child Left Behind,” and the fiscal fiascoes that are the wars in Middle East and South-central Asia.

On another show—where Dana’s female cohosts appear swaddled in ugly, short, rubber or spandex frocks—Dana exhibited her appreciation of art by promoting her boss’ paintings. As you can see, Bush’s “art” shares a certain barren quality with the art of another mass murderer.

As much as these two women attempt to delude themselves and their fans that they are non-mainstream and oh-so ethical; they are part of a “media circle jerk” whose very essence is antithetical to ethics. Here, Dana uses her perch at Fox News to promote her book. Megyn Kelly uses her own slot to promote her husband’s books and the books of other colleagues and pals like Perino, ensuring that literary claptrap gets a rapturous reception and ratings.

‘Whoring and Warring In the Military: What’s New?’

Military, Morality, The State

“Former CIA Director David Petraeus has been sentenced to two years probation and handed a $100,000 fine for leaking classified information to his biographer and former mistress.” (FoxNews)

What exactly did Petraeus do? Here’s the chronology in “Whoring and Warring In the Military: What’s New?”

There’s David Petraeus, former CIA director, formerly a four-star general who cultivated his own celebrity. There’s his mistress-cum-stalker, the bombastic, narcissistic Paula Broadwell, who despite—or, rather, because of—her pockmarked character has been propelled to prominence by the country’s elites. There’s Petraeus’ even skankier BFF (Best Friends Forever), Tampa socialite Jill Kelley, and her dysfunctional twin. Primped like street walkers, the twins can be seen in pictures, flanking their BFF and his ungroomed, graying wife, Holly Petraeus.

The fawning press takes the position that this—the flotsam and jetsam of American society—is indeed an aristocracy of talent and merit. Broadwell, they tell us, was soul-mate and intellectual companion to our grandiose general. Their mating was a meeting of minds. Woe is me!

In the tradition of this “meritocracy” is U.S. Marine General John Allen. Mentored by Petraeus, Allen is the top American commander in Afghanistan, and candidate for supreme commander of NATO. Allen and Kelley were caught in flagrante. As a shrinking segment of America toiled to support these ponces in-style, the two had been exchanging 20,000 to 30,000 steamy, pixelated pages over the course of two years.

On behalf of the twin sister of the Tampa tease, Allen and his mentor Petraeus went so far as to join forces and intervene in a (no doubt sordid) child-custody dispute, heard in the District of Columbia Superior Court.

Petraeus’s paramour blew her cover as the lover some months back. The pushy, dumbbell-obsessed lightweight is said to have threatened the cheap-looking BFF (Kelly). One source dismissed the threat as a mere “cat fight”; the other hyped it as a “stay away from my guy, or else” broadside. (And the difference between these “barbed” observations?)

Described by ABC’s Brian Ross as a “name-dropping, social-climbing, bored socialite, who ingratiated herself to the brass through parties and favors,” the Tampa tease’s grating self-importance played out on a 911 call, in which she demands protection from the media. “‘Cause I’m an honorary consul general, so I have inviolability” she told the dispatcher in Kim-Kardashian twang.

Why appeal to the rights of private property, when you enjoy the prerogatives of celebrity?

As for Broadwell’s romp through elite institutions stateside and abroad: A graduate of West Point, Broadwell holds degrees from and a research associate’s position at Harvard. She was made a poster girl for “Inspired Women Magazine.” By invitation of our country’s cognoscenti, Broadwell took her groupie tour to C-SPAN’s Book TV, and on the speaker’s circuit. (Bristol Palin is there too, commanding between $15,000 and $30,000 a pop.)

Richly revealing is the Ph.D. in “Petraeus” on which Broadwell is “working.” Broadwell’s “thesis” tells you all you need to know about intellectual life in the West. This Anatomy-of-a-Leader dissertation was green-lighted by the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, no less, where Broadwell was accepted as a Ph.D. candidate.”

Read the rest.

Hillary’s Old Hat Already

Education, Elections, Hillary Clinton, Morality

Make community college “free.” “[T]here’s something deeply wrong’ about students and their families needing to go into debt to finance a college education.” Those were Hillary Clinton’s strokes of genius, proposed during her first meet-and-greet, mainly with members of the press, on the campaign trail, in MONTICELLO, Iowa.

Didn’t we have The Same Talk, back in April of 2012, about America’s next financial bubble in search of a pin: the $1 trillion student-loan debt? Campaigning in Iowa, where Mrs. Clinton was today, didn’t B. H. Obama promise America’s miseducated Millennials to keep the student-loan bubble from bursting?

Earlier that year, during his State of the Union address of January 2012, Barry Soetoro Frankenstein vowed to keep the student-loan bubble afloat by mandating more loans at fixed prices.

Watch media react with wonderment at Hillary’s “fresh” robbery plans.

On the other hand, a message about the immorality of undertaking more debt than one can afford is a message that has not been tried before.

Readers’ Remarks On ‘Into The Cannibal’s Pot’ & Pence Column

Etiquette, Ilana Mercer, Liberty, Morality, South-Africa

Manners are a species of morals. Other than to hate mail or rude mail, I try and respond to all letters I receive—to each and every one. Many thousands since 1998, which is when I got my first newspaper column. Due to time constraints, my replies are laconic. Sometimes I slip up. But if a reader has bothered to read my work and comment on what I have to say—then it’s only decent to acknowledge the gesture.

Most American opinion-merchants, however, don’t reply to their mail. That smacks of hubris and pride, almost always unwarranted. Since most are so uninspiring and mediocre, one wonders what they’re playing at, and why they’re not more humble.

George Will once wrote that “manners are the practice of a virtue. The virtue is called civility, a word related—as a foundation is related to a house—to the word civilization.”

In this context, a Golda Meir zinger comes to mind: “Don’t be so humble, you’re not that great.” It’s a relic from a time when false humility was at least still practiced.

A riff on the Meir quip might go as follows: “Can’t be bothered to answer your mail? Don’t be so arrogant, you suck.”

Here are some gratifying notes, received in response to “Get Off Your Knees, Gov. Pence! (You’re Not In A Gay Bathhouse),” a hot favorite.

Naturally, I replied to these and to others.

From: W.J.
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2015 9:17 AM
To: imercer@wnd.com
Subject: “Into the Cannibal’s Pot.”

Ilana,
Just read your advice to Gov. Pence and was reminded that I wanted to complement you for what is without a doubt one of the most important and brilliantly written books I’ve ever read (“Into the Cannibal’s Pot”). Sadly, what passes for “conservatism” in America today can’t seem to grasp that individual discrimination is the essence of freedom. Sanctimonious conservative talking heads, who seem to believe that Indiana is all (only) about freedom of religion and are incapable of registering a connection to “civil rights” legislation of 50 years ago, would do well to read you.
Thank you for being a beautifully intelligent voice in the wilderness of 21st century American political discourse. And thank you for finding your way to America – your arrival in your adopted homeland has come none too soon.
Respectfully,
Bill

From:
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2015 8:03 AM
To: imercer@wnd.com
Subject: Get Off Your Knees, Gov. Pence (You’re Not In A Gay Bathhouse)

Ilana —

A friend of mine forwarded me your excellent column. You did a terrific job of articulating one the basic aspects of liberty (enshrined in the First Amendment): the freedom of association. I live in Indianapolis (and know Mike Pence slightly). This issue has become so polarizing here, and, as you noted, the law itself is innocuous. …

… At any rate, please keep writing. You have a great gift for expressing important ideas through everyday examples.

Best to you,

DL