No Understanding of History.

I was listening to the Hugh Hewitt show when I was driving home today. He was playing clips of Obama reading his book "Dreams of My Father."

Don't get me wrong. I still wouldn't trust the guy as far as I can spit, but the narrative sounded genuine. More than one caller expressed dismay that he swore (or in their prudish terms "used vulgar language") and one military caller expressed the opinion that he seemed a little to down to earth, and he didn't feel that he could call the guy "sir."

Excuse me?

Maybe its the shoptown kid in me. Cursing can be second nature to me. It was the operative language at the job I held all through high school. Like everything, it has its place. State dinner with the Queen of England? Not the place. Trade negotiations with Canada? Not the place. Negotiations between the Teamsters and management? Abso$&#^@**$^$lutely the place. Close door summit with an intractable enemy who wants to kill your citizens? If it helps to drive the point home that NOBODY messes with this country on your ^$%#*%^%!ing watch, you bet.

One caller expressed the opinion that it was not presidential. What? What history books have they been reading? Nixon? LBJ? Truman? Andrew Jackson? and of course, George Washington,who had been observed by at least one connoisseur of profanity to have a distinct and profound talent for the medium.

As for down-to-earth, I'd rather have the guy I feel I could have a beer with. I don't want someone who will look at the nation's problems from the viewpoint of Buffy and Reginald at the club. I want someone who has actually done some low wage work at some time in their life so they have an inkling of how actions will affect the lowest of us as well as the best off. Someone who has had these experiences, and keeps it in mind when they "make it" is far more deserving of the title "Sir" than someone who's main concern is for the person eating their salad with the wrong fork.

I still wouldn't vote for the guy, but I no longer see him as the characiture of the Hopey-Changeyness guy he pretends to be on the campaign trail, either.