Why I loved Christopher Hitchens

[Taverner]

Unlike most pundits today, the man had a spine. I remember during the buildup to the Iraq war, he was out cheering the invasion, talking it up. I disagreed then, and still do now, and I think he didn't think that one through however - I remember him on Real Time with Bill Maher. When he stated his support for the war, the crowd started booing. He turns to the audience, drink in hand and cigarette in mouth and loudly tells them all to "fuck off" while flipping them the bird.

That is the kind of spine I'd like to see in our party today. Fuck compromise, there is no compromise with the cryptofascists in the GOP today.

I'd like, for once, when some idiot from WingNut Daily asks Obama a really dumb question in a press conference, for him to throw a cup of coffee at the nutter, and tell them to fuck off.

I would like once, when a war hero like Max Cleland or John Kerry gets besmirched by the cryptofascists, for them to stand up, and give them the bird. And if they keep squawking, for them to sucker punch the bastard, and sucker punch them HARD.

Being nice only counts in Kindergarten and PreSchool.

I want the Democrats to grow some spines, and take notes from Christopher Hitchens.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

1. I think it was Congressman Jim Moran who offered to take Randy "Duke" Cunningham outside for...

... a boxing lesson when Cunningham was calling Democrats wimps.

[Taverner]

2. I like that...

[Little Star]

3. I always thought he was a pompous ass but..

I 100% agree that I'd like to see Dems grow some friggin spine against those cryptofascists.

[Whisp]

4. wow. that's what you call spine?

being a rude asshole even though your character is not a rude asshole?

As for Hitchens, it suited his needs and that was part of his character - an abrasive jackass with a marvelous way with words. I liked him a lot even though half the things he said I thought were lunacy, but he had a way about him that was very special. These types don't come around very often and the world will miss that.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. I was just talking about that with a good friend and fellow DUer today.

I immensely agree with a lot of his works...but he was an a-1 ass and not someone I would aspire to behave like.

[tabatha]

6. Sorry, I think one catches more with honey.

One can have spine in a subtle way - get what you want while leaving the naysayers shaking their heads realizing they have been had. That is smart and classy.

Christopher Hitchens was a boor (not to speak ill of the dead, but this is for comparison), and had as much as subtlety as a bull in a china shop.

I would rather the Republicans be crass.

[PassingFair]

7. I love him for THIS:

[Whisp]

9. thanks for that.

'at least you can fucking die and leave North Korea'...

[PassingFair]

14. A tour de force!

I wish I had been in the audience....

A small college in my OWN STATE, and
I didn't see this until after he died.

[banned from Kos]

8. I loved Hitch, I like Bill Maher, Sam Harris, George Carlin, Sam Kinison, and so many others.

But none of them could win an election of any magnitude.

People talk about TPTB - but don't fuck with the ultimate Fictional Power.

[redqueen]

12. Indeed.

Politics involves a lot more finesse and diplomacy. It's easy to be an obnoxious politician as long as tptb are on your side. When they're not, you have to be be very circumspect.

[hifiguy]

10. Whether or not one agreed with Hitchens,

and I don't think anyone could agree with him all of the time, he was never boring and usually thought-provoking. I loved "god is not great" even though he erred in vaguely attributing the philosophical outlook of Imperial Japan to Buddhism when it is clear that Shinto was its basis.

[KT2000]

11. For me, it was Mother Theresa

That one just cracked me up.

[AtomicKitten]

13. The first thing I read of his was the piece on Mother Teresa.

As a lapsed Catholic, his in-your-face irreverence was as shocking as it was hilarious; I nearly fell off my chair laughing. As in much of his work, he takes a position and digs in. I see a bit of Hitchens' je ne sais quoi in Matt Taibbi, and that's a good thing.