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SINGER SURPRISED
In shock news, it turns out that the US President is better informed than an Irish singer on international trade issues. Due to its controversial nature, this information is gently delivered by a very cautious journalist:
Irish rocker Bono drew laughter from an audience at the University of Pennsylvania last night as he tried to diplomatically describe a discussion he had Wednesday with President Bush about aid to Africa.
Bono, an advocate for African aid for more than two decades, broke up the audience of World Affairs Council members in the cavernous Irvine Auditorium as he appeared to struggle to find a nonjudgmental way of saying he had been surprised Bush knew so much about the negative effects of American trade on Africa.
Bono backed away from using the word surprised, and also backed away from saying he was “delighted” by the level of the President’s knowledge.
Finally he said he thought Bush was much better briefed about the trade problem than he was.
Bono was wearing sunglasses at the time.
I am astonished at the simple-mindedness of people who actually expect him to have an 80 IQ and mashed potatoes in his hair at state functions.
You could certainly make a case for Bush being insufficiently intellectually curious (though that doesn’t seem to be the case, even) and closed-minded in certain ways (well, maybe the Miers nomination demonstrates that) but still assume that a guy with a Harvard MBA had the basic fairly high intelligence befitting his achievement. They seem to be so naive as to believe that a family of moderate wealth could push an actually retarded child through a graduate program at the most prestigious university in America. They have no sense that intelligence is anything other than a point on a single straight line (and anyone who disagrees with you must be further down the scale from you, naturally).
How retarded can you get?
woah. who would have thought that a head of state would be so well-briefed on trade issues?
actually, i’m doubly shocked; who’d have thought a guy with an MBA would know so much about international trade?
so yeah, i’m stunned that water is wet
Posted by benson swears a lot on 2005 10 23 at 10:53 AM • permalinkWho would have thought, that anyone gives a Wombats fart about selfcentered scruffy rock stars opinions.
Posted by starboardside on 2005 10 23 at 12:22 PM • permalinkMike G—
They seem to be so naive as to believe that a family of moderate wealth could push an actually retarded child through a graduate program at the most prestigious university in America.
Have you MET John Kerry and Howard Dean?
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 10 23 at 04:13 PM • permalinkRichard,
Good examples of how wealthy families did manage to shove their idiotic spawn through Ivy League schools.Oops, my bad. Conventional wisdom says these guys are geniuses, despite the evidence showing that they are actually unimaginative, reactionary, ignorant twits.
Posted by Michael Lonie on 2005 10 23 at 04:35 PM • permalinkWasn’t he also “surprised” to find out Hillary was using HIS OWN CONCERT as a fundraiser?
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 10 23 at 05:09 PM • permalinkTeddy Kennedy is the poster child for wealth getting a degree. He actually had people paid to take his tests for him. And we all know he is a giant intellect. And of course, Papa Kennedy famously said that he didn’t want to “buy one more vote than is necessary” to elect John President.
Guess the pain of constantly losing elections to people you call stupid must eventually wear you down.
Posted by JorgXMcKie on 2005 10 23 at 08:44 PM • permalinkHey, all my affectations are for medical reasons. You got a problem with that?
Posted by JorgXMcKie on 2005 10 23 at 08:45 PM • permalinkWell in my undergraduate days, I took many economic course (fundamentals, microeconomics, macroeconomics) and business and finance courses (accounting, Money and Banking), and a slew of poly sci classes. And then I added to that by reading years of the Wall Street Journal. (As I tell Tim Dunlop, if it’s in the WSJ, it’s gospel).
When people ask me what is Bush trying to do, I say it’s classic textbook policies:
- cutting taxes will stimulate the GNP and increase tax revenue
—cutting government spending will improve the economy by switching from a small multiplier effect to a larger one
—decreasing the size of government will put more decision making back into the hands of the people and promote a more efficient allocation of resources
—taking the war to the Middle East will remedy systemic problems, not merely cover it up with nice pretty throw pillows *cough Clinton cough*Most of what he does is pure genius.
Posted by wronwright on 2005 10 23 at 08:51 PM • permalink#13. Good point, Sortelli. From what I’m seeing (which isn’t a whole lot at the moment), bono is aware that there is a lot more going on beneath the surface and he does what he can. For someone who has a very strong belief in God, he’s remarkably restrained in his preaching. His politicking used to piss me off no end a few years back, but these days if he’s getting a few messages across and making kids think, then it can’t be a bad thing.
He’s doing a lot more behind the scenes than someone like, say, Sean Penn.
/no longer a U2-obsessed teenager.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2005 10 23 at 08:54 PM • permalinkWhen people ask me what is Bush trying to do, I say it’s classic textbook policies:
- cutting taxes will stimulate the GNP and increase tax revenue
Check.
—cutting government spending will improve the economy by switching from a small multiplier effect to a larger one
Errr… he’s grossly increased spending.
—decreasing the size of government will put more decision making back into the hands of the people and promote a more efficient allocation of resources
Errr… he’s increased the size of government.
—taking the war to the Middle East will remedy systemic problems, not merely cover it up with nice pretty throw pillows *cough Clinton cough*
Check.
Most of what he does is pure genius.
I’d say he’s batting .500.
Better than the alternative, though.
#15 - Sortelli - it was in the weekend papers. It would seem that a few hundred flashes going off in his face makes his right eye swell up, and he spends days with spots before his eyes. He said something along the lines of - the sunglasses are partly due to eye sensitivity, and only partly vanity (can’t remember exactly).
I still haven’t made up my mind about this guy, Bono I mean. He doesn’t appear to possess the truly tiresome anti-Americanism we have come to expect of those in his position. I actually heard him say…to an American audience admittedly…the he loves America. So, as I said, I’m prepared to hear him out.
I’m not suggesting that Bonzo is being hypocritical in calling for taxpayers to send money to corrupt African despots, but perhaps Africa could increase its wealth by moving to a country with tax exemption for famous artists?
Posted by Jim Geones on 2005 10 24 at 02:55 AM • permalinkSo let me get this right, Bono who probably did no tertiary education thinks a guy with post graduate qualifications is an idiot.mmmm
Now I also understand that under some bizarre law in Ireland that if you are pronounced to be culturally important to Ireland then you pay no tax. If this is true Bono is criticising governments for not spening tax payers money but he doesn’t pay tax. There is a word for that kind of behaviour, it starts with hypo and ends with crit.
Posted by platey mates on 2005 10 24 at 10:36 AM • permalink7 Rebec
When people wear sunglasses indoors, it’s usually because they don’t want you looking into their eyes. You might see, I don’t know, embarrassment, or maybe shame.
...or pupils the size of pie-plates.14 Cuck
Bono says he suffers from some kind of acute light sensitivity,
Do a dozen bong hits and get back to me about light sensitivity.21 Ck
t would seem that a few hundred flashes going off in his face makes his right eye swell up, and he spends days with spots before his eyes.
Oh all right, maybe so, never mind. Damn. Effin sticklers ...
[droning pedant mode]
Oh! Platey, the word ends with a crite. The American version is Democrite.
[/droning pedant mode]Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2005 10 24 at 04:42 PM • permalinkThey say that you make up your mind about someone within the first 5-10 seconds of meeting them. I can remember what made up my mind about U2 and Bono way back in my highschool days (God, I’m old!); it was seeing the video clip for “Where The Streets Have No Name”. The image that did it for me was U2 setting up on top of some building to play out their song/message, and the police telling them “you can’t do that”. They went on anyway…
At the time it seemed like extreme arrogance. With hindsight, I see that there were other things mixed in, such as youthful over exuberance. Nonetheless, since that day I have always remained wary of U2 in general, and Bono in particular. The sunglasses always on (sensitivities or not) hasn’t done anything to lessen that.
Whilst I give him full marks for his cause and commitment, his method of delivery still irks me: it rings of simplistic idealism and condescension.
Witness his reaction to Bush.
Posted by Mr Anderson on 2005 10 25 at 09:05 AM • permalink
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“HAHAHAHA! That Bush is so stupid! And it appears he’s more informed that you, and presumably us! The juxtaposition is amusing! And he sure is stupid!”
Is it just me, or is that kind of, well, retarded? If you think a guy is stupid, and it appears he is not after all, is the correct reaction to laugh at his now-questionable stupidity? Or would it be to say, “Hmm, maybe I should reconsider my opinion in light of this evidence?”
I mean, that’s almost as stupid as listening to policy lectures by rock stars.