Fine words butter no parsnips, but President Obama in his speech at Cairo University probably got as near as any statesman can to “telling it how it is”.
Writing before the event, Thomas Friedman, one of the team of stellar op-ed columnists from the New York Times, told the President this joke:
“There is this very pious Jew named Goldberg who always dreamed of winning the lottery. Every Sabbath, he’d go to synagogue and pray: “God, I have been such a pious Jew all my life. What would be so bad if I won the lottery?” But the lottery would come and Goldberg wouldn’t win. Week after week, Goldberg would pray to win the lottery, but the lottery would come and Goldberg wouldn’t win. Finally, one Sabbath, Goldberg wails to the heavens and says: “God, I have been so pious for so long, what do I have to do to win the lottery?”
And the heavens parted and the voice of God came down: “Goldberg, give me a chance! Buy a ticket!”
The point is well made and goes some way towards explaining why I have never won the French Lotto.
In reply, Obama told Friedman a joke going the rounds at the White House:
“We’re just going to keep on telling the truth until it stops working”
"Fine words butter no parsnips" is a great phrase Barnaby - not heard it b4 but am likely to use it in future myself so tx.
ReplyDeleteThough I did not vote for Blair I recall well the feeling of national ephoria in England when his govt first arrived, displacing the greying Tories of John Major. Even then I wondered if more spin than substance was afoot. Looking back to Blair's brand of socialism, spin summarises it well.
So to America's Obama: I reserve judgement at present but possible parallels with Blair emerge. He replaced the greying Bush regime and so far is speaking fine uplifting words. Younger generation too like Blair. Unlike Blair though his ethnic background is appealing to many (me included) though maybe Mrs Thatcher becoming the first woman PM in the UK made a bigger impact. Obama like Thatcher, Major and Blair is what in suburban London is still called "middle class".
Overall I'm positive about Obama but fear he has to guard against creeping spin.
I think one can also say "fair words...", Jerry.
ReplyDeleteYes, I can see the parallels with Blair. (Incidentally, I was back in England just a few days before the landslide victory in 1997 and was walking around Braintree market when I was approached by a forlorn Conservative candidate in search of votes. I had to tell him that I wasn't on the electorial roll in England any more. Back in France a couple of days later, I was approached in Dijon by the conservative-equivalent candidate in the snap election called (and lost) by Jacques Chirac and had to tell him the same thing as I was ineligible to vote in France!).
But back to your main point. I never experienced the Blair years at first hand but my sister came to despise the spin machine.
I was interested to read your (or rather suburban London's) characterization of Obama, Thatcher, Major and Blair as "middle class". But, Jerry, in that scheme of things who is NOT middle class?! Gordon Brown?
I suppose, like a lot of people, I hover between cynicism and the longing for someone who can inspire us. Although I have no illusions about the enormous difficulties standing in the way of Obama, I do, for the moment at any rate, think that he might at least start to turn things round.
Why do I think that? To be honest, largely on the strength of his extraordinary autobiography, Dreams of My Father. Have you read it?
Well, I shall be rooting for Federer this afternoon!