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re: Intellectual Republicans
Robert — (archived)

I think you miss the point in your partisan zeal to paint the lack of intellectual Conservatives in a positive light. [good to be back in the saddle again :-)]

The truth is that "the system" has selected against intellectuals for a long time, no matter their Party. Democrat Adlai Stevenson got nuked by the "egghead" label, it splattered Big Al in 2000, Clinton had to hide it behind shades and a saxophone...and yet I can't think of a Republican politician who has flirted even that much with intellectualism, as least publicly. You're right, there are no intellectual Republican politicians.

But remember my central speculation: That Gore is running outside the system--the anti-intellectual system that won't let Al be Al--as a sort of philosopher-politician. Sounds like a very old and honorable concept.

By the same token, a Republican answer to Al could come from outside the system. The field isn't restricted to professional politicians.

William F. Buckley'd be a worthy opponent, but I have to ask: Is he still alive? I think that perhaps a common-sense constraint ought to be currency and relevancy. No point dragging Ayn Rand in either, nor your favorite Founder. I'm sure Jefferson could whip Gore too. Within the parameters of my hypothesis: Who could realistically compete for the Presidency against Al Gore, today, in this hypothetical political marketplace of ideas?

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