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Saturday, January 19, 2013

Bookish memory--

The world is full of dreadful news and noise and divisions between peoples and parties, but while I was dwelling on these things and "the dark lamentable catalogue of human crimes," as Churchill put it, I was reminded that President Carter, during his speech accepting his party's nomination for a second term as president, called Senator Hubert Horatio Humphrey by the name of Hubert Horatio Hornblower. Instantly I felt wonderfully cheerful, with a store of good will and hope for the world.
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 Is that the funniest political moment having to do with books? It's much more funny than George Bush reading a picture book upside down, though that was amusing.

4 comments:

  1. Hornblower - that brings a smile to my face over my first cuppa! Carter was most unappreciated, I have a lot of respect for him.

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  2. He certainly had a store of goodness--no doubt that's a handicap in politics!

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  3. That puts a huge smile on my face. Especially because I could see myself doing that same thing. How do you *not* say the name "Horatio" aloud and not follow it up with "Hornblower"?

    I appreciated Carter much more after he was President in watching how he has used his time in really giving back to others.

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  4. Good! I'm glad to hear it...

    Yes, I think his institute does some good things. He wrote a beautiful letter to my mother when my father died (one of those letters to those who served in WWII and Korea.)

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Alas, I must once again remind large numbers of Chinese salesmen and other worldwide peddlers that if they fall into the Gulf of Spam, they will be eaten by roaming Balrogs. The rest of you, lovers of grace, poetry, and horses (nod to Yeats--you do not have to be fond of horses), feel free to leave fascinating missives and curious arguments.