So Christmas presents were distributed at Kath’s folk’s house, and lo, there was much happiness. I received an interesting assortment of stuff, including a little wind-up bowling game, a walking and growling King Kong (it took me a while to figure out how to position his arms so that he didn’t fall flat every time he moved) and an assortment of books including–most intriguingly–a book of correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson’s final letter to Adams, likening themselves to the Argonauts, is both amazing and depressing–amazing because of the poetic way in which he frames their participation in the American revolution, and depressing when one considers how far the holders of the highest office in the land have fallen in their ability to express themselves with anything approaching intelligence, much less poetry.
PAD
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Glad to hear your holiday was lovely, Peter! That book does sound cool. I wonder if the advent of TV has anything to do with the diminishing of political eloquence, at least among top office-holders. But I did think Clinton, although long-winded at times, managed a good turn of phrase now and again. And both Kennedy and Nixon were well-spoken. The problem is, we’ve seen so many times that modern presidents aren’t well-spoken because they’re so constantly scrutinized. If television cameras had been around in the Revolutionary era, I’m sure we would have seen a lot more warts in our Founding Fathers than are to be found in their much-deliberated correspondence (which I’m sure a part of them hoped would be preserved for posterity).
Back in the days of Watergate, Mort Sahl, political comedian/boatrocker, recorded an album
entitled “Sing a Song of Watergate”.
In his routine he comments, and I’m paraphrasing,
at the start this country had Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams. In the days of Watergate, the top two guys are Nixon and Agnew.
What can we conclude? Darwin was wrong.
–Ed
Forget the presents you got, cool though they are. What did Caroline get? 🙂 🙂
It sounds like it was a great day!
TWL
Glad to hear you had a good holiday! Mine was pretty good: I survived working retail on Christmas Eve (and back today!), I spent time with relatives on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and I got the gift I most wanted: cash. (It may be mercenary, but it’ll take care of a lot of stuff, including a phone bill, some splurging in NYC tomorrow (Games! comic books!), the dvds of SERENITY and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 1.0), replacement jeans, a trip to the dentist, and, oh yeah, the money I spent on Christmas gifts for others.)
Merry XMas, mutants!
Hey Dr. Who fans. If you have access to a satelite dish, Canada’s CBC is airing Dr. Who: The Christmas Invasion at 8:00 pm. Choose your own time zone.
Happy Holidays, Peter!
Agreed that 24×7 television may have even caught the Founding Fathers in unitelligible moments. (How would George Washington reacted in front of the cameras to a peppering of allegations that he may have cut down more cherry trees than orginally admitted?)
That said, it also should be noted that back in the day, the framers of the constitution and first leaders were something else before they were politicians — architects, merchants, farmers, inventors, lawyers, revolutionaries, of course, and yes, even writers. 🙂 Some were all of the above. These days, we have a professional class of lifelong politicians who know only sound bites, spin, and fundraising; they are a tad less rounded.
It’s not just the political elite who have fallen. Read some of the letters from soldiers of the civil war sent home to their wives and loved ones and you want to weep. And these were largely ordinary men but writing was the only way to communicate with those far away and they became very good at the art.
Hey Dr. Who fans.
Cripes, I actually forgot to look for a torrent of the Christmas Invasion last night!
I actually got some cool stuff for Christmas for once – my brother-in-law bought me that Dragonology book that came out recently, and my mom got me the Star Trek TNG Enterprise Blueprints box set (which I never knew existed). My dad got me some Iowa Hawkeye stuff – and it’s no surprise that he got quite a bit of Hawkeye stuff in return. 🙂
(which I’m sure a part of them hoped would be preserved for posterity).
Actually, they intended the letters be preserved. Adams and Jefferson had become bitter political enemies. Adams appointed several “midnight judges” just before leaving office and Jefferson thought they helped cripple his presidency. After reconciling later in life, they intended the debates between them to explain their thoughts, differences in political philosophy, and to better explain the Revolution itself.
I’ve not read the letters themselves. I really wish these were available in Audio as well. I get so much of my “reading” done these days listening to Audio CDs. Two hours of commute time will do that to you. I highly recommend the Barnes & Noble “Portable Professor” series if you are in similar circumstances.
Thanks for the addition to the Amazon Wish List, though, PAD. 🙂
Glad to hear that the holidays treated you and your family well, PAD. 🙂
I love reading the words of the Founding Fathers, be it Adams or Jefferson or Hamilton or Washington. I agree with your observation…oh, how far we’ve fallen. And that’s not a partisan statement…I don’t think we’ve had a President in the last thirty years who could even begin to compare with Jefferson or Adams.
As for me, I spent Christmas with the Cylons. And no, I’m not talking about my relatives, though I have to admit that some of them ARE a little too obsessed with God’s plan, as part of the “Religious Right.” 🙂
I’ve been catching up with Season 2 of Battlestar Galactica on DVD, and I think I’ve found a new favorite series. It’s an absolutely outstanding show, and I’m mighty impressed.
Nevertheless, great to hear it was a happy holiday season for you, PAD. I also hope that everyone else’s holiday season was just as happy as mine. 🙂
The story of Adams and Jefferson is one of my favorite in American History, second only to the story of how Washington defused the Newburgh Conspiracy. (The ever useful Wikipedia has the story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newburgh_conspiracy)
It is amazing how two such great men not only co-existed in the same critical place at the same critical time, but how they went from being close friends to bitter enemies back to good friends, even dying on the same day. (mine and
the countries birthday as it turns out)
and the way he wrote!!
“The fundamental article of my political creed is that depotism, or unlimited sovereignty, or absolute power, is the same in a majority of a popular assembly, an aristocratical council, an ogliarchical junto, and a single emperor.”
Letter to Thomas Jefferson (November 13, 1815)
How much do you want to bet that that Bush doesn’t even know what a junto is?
Also, I believe Chanukah starts today (last night? Doesn’t Jewish tradition have the day start at sunset of the previous day?)…..so happy Chanukah Mr. David, and everyone else!
What book was that about John Adams and Jefferson? Sounds like a good read. Besides, ever sense I saw 1776, I love Adams.
jer
We need a president who’s fluent in at least one language.
— Buck Henry
Thought you might enjoy. Happy Cha-nuke-ah!
http://www.comics.com/comics/frazz/archive/images/frazz200512287225.jpg
Congratulations on a pleasant Christmas, Mr. David.
I’d have to say my favourite present was a lovely, solid oak bookshelf wall unit. I can now empty another few boxes of books from that storage bin. 😉
As for “I wonder if the advent of TV has anything to do with the diminishing of political eloquence, at least among top office-holders.” …
That’s part of it, but I’d say it is also a matter of universities going from being a place where people went to finish their educations towards becoming well-rounded citizens, to being overpriced vocational training academies.
truer words were never spoken with regard to our ruling class. they have become entangled in the endless pursuit of higher power and forgotten what it means to be a “public servant”. one can only pray for term limits.