I think David Brooks may be hitting the holiday egg-nog a bit early.

[pinerow]

check out his op-ed piece in the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/14/opinion/14brooks.html?oref=login&th

[acmavm]

1. Read that about an hour ago. I couldn't quite figure out what got into

the guy. Not that anything he said isn't true, it is. But coming from him, I thought that maybe since it was so early my comprehension skills were still asleep.

[pinerow]

2. I had the same reaction when I first read it...then I had an espresso

and it was still there on the page...actually taking an anti-shrub position...

[ixion]

3. lol... I think you are correct

I can hear him giggling quietly to himself as he wrote this. :+

[KarenS]

4. sheesh,,,, I usually avoid Brooks,,,,,

and the rest of the Repub mouthpieces,,,,,

This is a very strangely written and incomprehensible piece.

Maybe too many lies & too much hatred turns a person's brain to mush ~ I hope, I hope, I hope,,,,,

[GCP]

5. David Brooks seeing the light and becoming David Brock? n/t

[Kolesar]

6. that was funny!

Instead of citing a great intellectual, it's better to cite a wise but ordinary person with a poignant, uplifting life story (in Washington jargon, a W.B.O.P.W.A.P.U.L.S.).

"Mr. President, I was on my way to a faith-based soup kitchen, where I lead Bible study for the alcoholic children of recovering Wahhabis, when I ran into Luis, who lost his job at the ANWR Energy Company because of junk lawsuit costs, and he was saying he prays every night for a personal Social Security account that will offer him incentives to work, save and invest." Stories like this confirm the essential wisdom of the common people.

[rodeodance]

7. Brooks is competing with the ironic editorials of Maureen Dowd--Good

for him:-)

.......As the first pseudo-event of the second term, this gabfest is meant to give President Bush a chance to show his more deliberative, bipartisan and intellectual side - to really let his inner Cornel West out for a spree. Your role as a symposiast is to give the president something to nod thoughtfully about.

Second, it's important to understand that this week's summit (unofficial title: Why President Bush Is Right About Everything) may not feature the widest possible range of views. This is true of all presidential policy summits. That's in part because the staff members who organize these things are rightfully terrified that something newsworthy might happen, and have taken precautions........

Fourth, when addressing a Republican crowd, especially one including President Bush, three Henry James references per presentation are more than sufficient. Actually, it's better to quote down. Instead of citing a great intellectual, it's better to cite a wise but ordinary person with a poignant, uplifting life story (in Washington jargon, a W.B.O.P.W.A.P.U.L.S.).


"http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/14/opinion/14brooks.html?th"

December 14, 2004
The Wonks' Loya Jirga
By DAVID BROOKS

[izzie]

8. Gee I liked it.Made me laugh.

--

[rodeodance]

9. "gabfest is meant to give Bush a chance to show his..intellectual side"..

te he---good laugh to wake up to!!

....As the first pseudo-event of the second term ,this gabfest is meant to give President Bush a chance to show his more deliberative, bipartisan and intellectual side - to really let his inner Cornel West out for a spree. Your role as a symposiast is to give the president something to nod thoughtfully about.......

[HamdenRice]

10. If you saw the NY Times in paper: What's up w/ Judge Tapia copping a feel?

This has nothing to do with Brooks op ed, but I guess some of you read the Times in paper. Did you see the cover with the story about the trial of Pinochet going forward in Chile?

Well the picture is totally odd. A victim of Pinochet is supposed to be getting an "abrazo" from the Judge who decided to let the case go forward, but their body language and expressions look more like he is copping a feel and staring down at the cleavage of an attractive middle aged Latina. Did anyone else think that pic was weird?

[pinerow]

11. You are correct...it has nothing to do with David Brooks or the NYT

nt

[Logansquare]

13. I thought it was an awkward embrace in a dense crowd of people

Obviously, I need to order whatever you are having...:)

[hatrack]

12. Yes, David, they do just regurgitate the same ideas over and over and over

Kind of like you walking into a Applebee's and in a sudden mystical moment of clarity putting your finger on pulse of the entire nation.

Gosh, it's astonishing that someone with such deep roots in DC and NYC can instantly know what everyone in Natchez, Des Moines & Missoula is thinking and why they're thinking it.

Really looking forward to your insights being regurgitated over and over and over some more!

[Ready2Snap]

14. An alternative explanation

I think the NYT should put out an APB for Brooks. This is obviously not his work.
Having made myself read his column since coming to the NYT (just so I’d know what someone was ripping him on), I‘m pretty sure this level of sophistication is beyond him. Besides, the remarks are too spot on to be taken as poking fun at his beloved Bushco and minions.
Either MODO is ghostwriting his column or Bill Maher has hacked into the NYT.
Then again he may have bought it off a net site that sells essays and theses.
The absolute least likely explanation is that he got religion or grew a conscience.
However, if this is the case, as some have speculated, he should be given immediate asylum at The Nation and watched carefully.
It might be a desperate cry for help.

[rodeodance]

15. I think they should give him more eggnog and say Write Away!!

[MasonJar]

16. He certainly isn't as radical as Hannity/Rush/etc., but I expect

he's still in the fold. Of course this column did not come out before the so-called voting.