Sunday, January 20, 2008

Peggy Noonan annoys me

She's not hateful, like Ann Coulter. She's not alternately silly or cruel in the guise of "humor," like Rush Limbaugh. She's not ridiculously self-aggrandizing, like Bill O'Reilly. But still, Peggy Noonan annoys me.

I think it's because I want to learn from listening to her. Yes, she conservative to the core, but when presented in a coherent, clear way, I can learn how and why the other side feels the way it does. I've learned a great deal from paying attention to Joe Scarborough and Bill Kristol. For I don't like believing that conservatives are simply ugly and wrong, though with the Coulters and Limbaughs and O'Reillys on the air, it's easy to make that assumption.

Because Peggy Noonan is a woman of a certain age, a woman who is elegant (and avoids the Ann Coulter traps of playing with her mane or showing up for the Today Show wearing a black cocktail dress), and astonishingly well spoken, I want to listen to her and follow her logic.

Yet every time I see her, Peggy Noonan annoys me.

It's because she's so damn pedantic. She speaks sooo slowly and uses her hands so pretentiously when she makes her points. It's clear that if we are getting our news from the outlet that gives her a platform (instead, I'm guessing, from her Wall Street Journal), we are sad, benighted little creatures. We need Miss Margaret to explain it all to us. So she speaks slowly, to make sure we "get" the wisdom she is good enough to share with us.

I imagine that immediately after appearing on network TV, she collapses gracefully upon a chaise lounge in the Green Room and calls out for a damp cloth to place upon her forehead. It's sooo exhausting to try to communicate with us tiny brains!

8 comments:

  1. Here, let me stereotype this woman, as I have absolutely no clue who the heck she is. The picture alone instantly made me think conservative socialite with a need to let it show. Must be the pearls.

    Anyway, I'm stopping by today to let you know there's something waiting for you over at my site. Please stop by whenever you get a chance.

    I hope you're having a terrific weekend!! I heard it's nasty cold in your neighborhood. I hope you and the kitties are keeping warm.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think that's why I'm a liberal. They have brains and they know it, yet they don't feel the need to flaunt it or talk down to people. Conservatives either are brainy and need to flaunt it...or just don't have brains at all and need to fake it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You know, I've never heard Peggy Noonan speak. Never seen her on TV. I've only read her opinion pieces and have always been amazed at how insightful she is to the human condition no matter what their political stripe.

    Pictures of her wearing pearls makes her a bad person? Less informed? Condemnation for neckwear. How small can we be? I see that Hillary wears pearls all the time. Same with Helen Thomas. Same with John Roberts' wife and, Michelle Obama a couple of times. Tough to beat pearls as an accessory item, if you can afford them. Real women wear pearls.

    Do an image search on Noonan and see how normal she is sans pearls if that is your big hang-up. She has a certain serenity in pictures and in this foul Daily Kos, Air America world that's refreshing.

    Maybe you girls should aspire rather than be a pimple on Peggy's ass.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Um, Steve? Hello? I wrote the original post and I never mentioned the pearls. I did, however, say I admired the way she presents herself on TV. I'm sorry that you worked so hard working yourself up that you completely missed the point of my post. Maybe you should calm down, and try to be as elegant in your speech as Ms. Noonan is in hers. Perhaps then I could take you seriously.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I wasn't only speaking to you but your posters as well. You assume much.

    You avatar gives you away.

    To quote a reasonably famous liberal: "Arrogance is not intelligence."

    Goodbye.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, Steve, I'm going to miss you! The self important contribution made by a complete stranger to a post that's 8 months old has really improved my humble blog. (Especially because none of the other posters managed to use "pimple" and "ass" in the same comment. No wonder you feel comfortable encouraging THEM to aspire!) Now I must go and dab at my eyes with a tissue as I consider all the other insights you might have to add that I won't get to hear. Farewell, Steve! I will treasure these moments.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was watching Mrs Noonan and wondering who is this annoying woman? I googled 'Peggy Noonan annoying' and was so glad to read your blog post. You put into words that annoyed feeling I was experiencing. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was watching Mrs Noonan and wondering who is this annoying woman? I googled 'Peggy Noonan annoying' and was so glad to read your blog post. You put into words that annoyed feeling I was experiencing. Thanks

    ReplyDelete

Please note: If you have a WordPress blog, I can't return the favor and comment on your post unless you change your settings. WordPress hates me these days.