GV is one of the few right-wingers who I feel to be cogent, thoughtful, honourable, and interesting.
Whenever I think of the term 'conservative' I think of Rush Limbaughs and George Bush Jrs and forget that there are conservatives out there with well-reasoned, valid points of view. If only there were more like him, I might be swayed from my leftist leanings.
Gore has a humanitarian element to him, a sense of brotherhood if you will, that other conservatives would do well to emulate.
Gore Vidal has my attention.
Footnote: I do find it ironic he has such an audience on PBS, the pinko-commie People's TV station.
HE MIGHT BE AMERICA'S LAST small-r republican. Gore Vidal, now 76, has made a lifetime out of critiquing America's imperial impulses and has -- through two dozen novels and hundreds of essays -- argued tempestuously that the U.S. should retreat back to its more Jeffersonian roots, that it should stop meddling in the affairs of other nations and the private affairs of its own citizens.
When Vidal ran (unsuccessfully) for office in the 60's it was as a Democrat. In the early 70?s, he was co-chairman of the People's Party (alongside Dr. Spock), which was a pretty leftist / liberal organization.
As for libertarian leanings...I don't know if I'd go that far (although I believe one of his more recent novels had a libertarian protagonist). He has spoken in favor of higher taxes on corporations and the rich being used to finance national health and schools, with taxes on the middle and working class frozen.
He definitely does love the sound of his own voice, but he's funny and often has some well thought out insights. Even if I didn't agree with his politics, I would be interested in hearing what he has to say.
Edit: clarification after misreading context of small r republican line...
Comments
Whenever I think of the term 'conservative' I think of Rush Limbaughs and George Bush Jrs and forget that there are conservatives out there with well-reasoned, valid points of view. If only there were more like him, I might be swayed from my leftist leanings.
Gore has a humanitarian element to him, a sense of brotherhood if you will, that other conservatives would do well to emulate.
Gore Vidal has my attention.
Footnote: I do find it ironic he has such an audience on PBS, the pinko-commie People's TV station.
Originally posted by 1337_5L4Xx0R
I do find it ironic he has such an audience on PBS, the pinko-commie People's TV station.
Maybe he is trying to " switch " the viewers of this program.
the same bisexual man who wrote for "the nation" and ran for the senate as a democrat?
the man who called ronald reagan a testament to the art of embalming?
news to me.
Al Gore is an eighth cousin, apparently...and it would appear that Jackie Bouvier was his step sister.
Originally posted by kneelbeforezod
Yeah, Vidal is very much a liberal, although he'll happily pick a fight with anyone.
Al Gore is an eighth cousin, apparently...and it would appear that Jackie Bouvier was his step sister.
yeah i mean if you had to call him one or the other, it would be liberal, i've always just thought of him as the cynic's cynic.
Originally posted by Timo
The dude's a blowhard.
he is enamored with the sound of his own voice, especially on chat shows.
but i usually find his essays to be witty and incisive.
http://www.laweekly.com/ink/02/33/features-cooper.php
Sounds borderline libertarian to me...
As for libertarian leanings...I don't know if I'd go that far (although I believe one of his more recent novels had a libertarian protagonist). He has spoken in favor of higher taxes on corporations and the rich being used to finance national health and schools, with taxes on the middle and working class frozen.
He definitely does love the sound of his own voice, but he's funny and often has some well thought out insights. Even if I didn't agree with his politics, I would be interested in hearing what he has to say.
Edit: clarification after misreading context of small r republican line...