Conservatives name a Liberal that you admire Liberals name a Conservative you admire

[Denise]

I am hoping that despite political differences we all admire someone from the "other side". That we are not so staunchly one sided that we can call it as we see it.

So, I will be first. I admire Ellen Goodman for a lot of her columns and I think she calls at as she sees it. She's pretty liberal. Next?

[Tony]

Christopher Hitchens (http://users.rcn.com/peterk.enteract/)

[Supercharts]

Sen. Liberman from CT.

[Ian Osborne]

Richard Shepherd, MP

He was my local Member of Parliament (British government) when I was growing up. He represents the Conservative Party, which I don't support, but I have a great deal of respect for him.

[Khalid01]

I really like Bill O'Reilly. Although I could characterize him negatively with a variety of adjectives, he's also very corageous and a good speaker on his show. He's also less slanderous than Ann Coulter and at least seems more truthful.

[Clancie]

Sen. Lieberman from CT.

I was thinking of him for my conservative. :)

In fact, almost everyone seems more conservative than I am these days, but I think I can do this.

Warren Rudman. And...David Souter. (And, for someone more conservative, well, he's not around any more and I didn't like his politics, but I think Barry Goldwater was honest and didn't "play politics", which are admirable traits that most politicians, left or right, seem to lack).

[crackmonkey]

Patrick Moynihan. RIP.

Malcolm X.

edited to explain:

I read Malcolm X's autobiography as written down by Alex Haley. I have to give him a lot of points for admitting he had been wrong about some things and standing up against his own "superior" and the nation of Islam. That took a lot of guts.

I think if he had lived longer, though, he would have become just another Jesse Jackson, and I would have lost the respect I have for him.

If you ever get the chance, I can't recommend his autobiography high enough. I read it years before Spike Lee's movie. The book is better. As usual.

[Dancing David]

Dwight Eisenhower

[Tricky]

I admire both William Saffire and George Will. Although they infuriate me from time to time with their apologetics, they are well spoken, non-slanderous and stick to the points they are making. Saffire also writes a column "On Language" in which he discusses the origins and usage of certain terms while casually inserting his politics. I have to respect a fellow logophile.

Both Will and Saffire are the most rare and dangerous of beasts: Clever conservatives. :p

I hope some conservatives pick Gore Vidal. While even a bit too left for me, he is the best flame warrior I've ever seen, and can be ROTFL hilarious.

[hammegk]

I admire many liberals -- when they are deceased and no longer trying to run everyone's business except their own.

[DavidJames]

I've always admired William Buckley - voice drove me nuts but I liked the way he presented his arguments.

Great topic, gets people to think and open their minds... Well mostly...

"I admire many liberals -- when they are deceased and no longer trying to run everyone's business except their own."

Yawn :rolleyes:

[hammegk]

Originally posted by DavidJames
Yawn :rolleyes:

Startlingly profound! Well done!

[NoZed Avenger]

Moynihan, hands down. There are a fair number of others that I like and/or respect and/or admirte, but in terms of far-sightedness, moral courage, and putting thought behind his positions, I cannot think of anyone that would top him.

NA

[Skeptical Greg]

Sundog

Rikzilla. Outside of the forum, uh... uhmmm...

[corplinx]

Originally posted by Tricky
I hope some conservatives pick Gore Vidal. While even a bit too left for me, he is the best flame warrior I've ever seen, and can be ROTFL hilarious.

Gore Vidal is Gore Vidal. I don't necessarily classify him as a liberal. I hope one day he writes a complete volume abotu his correspondences with Tim McVeigh. Alas, there may have not been enough for a complete volume.

[shemp]

I admire Barry Goldwater, because he's dead.

When Reagan dies, I'll admire him too. Until then, he's still a lying murdering scumbucket.

[shanek]

Liberal I admire: J. Michael Straczynski

Conservative I admire: Barry Goldwater

[Clancie]

Lol. This thread must be the first time Gore Vidal and William Buckley have appeared anywhere together since their appearance together as nightly commentators as the 1968 Democratic convention.

Does anyone remember the infamous exchange? On live television, Vidal called Buckley a "crypto-Nazi" (later, saying he meant to say "fascist").

Buckley, enraged, lost his usual highbrow-for-television command of the language and replied, on live TV, "Listen, you queer. Stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I’ll sock you in you goddamn face and you’ll stay plastered."

Conventions today are so tame.

[peptoabysmal]

I guess David Lloyd George represented to me what the best part of a liberal should be: A leader of changes for the betterment of mankind. The kind that keeps society from stagnation.

I donno. Was Will Rogers a liberal? How about Mark Russell? These two political humorists I greatly admire.

[Jedi Knight]

Is Natalie Portman a liberal? What about Ashley Judd?

JK

[Tony]

Originally posted by Jedi Knight
Is Natalie Portman a liberal? What about Ashley Judd?

JK

I think Jenna Jameson is. ;)

[subgenius]

Originally posted by LukeT
Malcolm X.

edited to explain:

I read Malcolm X's autobiography as written down by Alex Haley. I have to give him a lot of points for admitting he had been wrong about some things and standing up against his own "superior" and the nation of Islam. That took a lot of guts.

I think if he had lived longer, though, he would have become just another Jesse Jackson, and I would have lost the respect I have for him.

If you ever get the chance, I can't recommend his autobiography high enough. I read it years before Spike Lee's movie. The book is better. As usual.


Way cool thread.
This book moved me as did Lenny Bruce's autobiography. Probably the 2 most influential books in my life.
One great scene left out of the Spike Lee version: how Malcolm got out of WWII. Hint: (has to do with his interview with the Army psychiatrist) one of the funniest real life adventures of all time.
Almost as funny as when Lenny rented a priests outfit and went collecting for orphans.
Once again, Denise, great thread. A great attempt to find common ground.
We agree on much more than we disagree on.

(As oppose to labelling everything "leftist" or reactionary.)

[jj]

Ow, that's hard. A liberal I admire? W.O.Douglas, perhaps. Maybe, just maybe HHH, but that's limited.

Conservatives are easy. Barry Goldwater. Millicent Fenwick.

Then again, since they threw Barry out of the Republican party, maybe he IS a liberal by modern standards.

[subgenius]

Originally posted by jj
Ow, that's hard. A liberal I admire? W.O.Douglas, perhaps. Maybe, just maybe HHH, but that's limited.

Conservatives are easy. Barry Goldwater. Millicent Fenwick.

Then again, since they threw Barry out of the Republican party, maybe he IS a liberal by modern standards.

Must have thrown him out, if they did, because he was honest.

Loved Barry in his later life when, among other things, on the Tonight Show, he said, when asked, whether he would ever get a tattoo, turned to Roseanne, and said, "Yes, I'd like a pair of lips kissing my ass, if you'll model for the lips."

One of the funniest things I've ever seen on "live" TV.

[Troll]

I go with two. Sen. Liberman and former Sen. Sam Nunn

[Troll]

Originally posted by shemp
I admire Barry Goldwater, because he's dead.

When Reagan dies, I'll admire him too. Until then, he's still a lying murdering scumbucket.

Was he ever tried for this alleged murder you claim he committed? Ir are you just spewing rhetoric crap?

[Pyrrho]

John McCain

[bignickel]

I've always admired Bob Dole since he made his sole stand against the Feds giving away the whole digital spectrum for practically nothing. He was the only one in that room who was saying 'You have got to be kidding!'

It's too bad he didn't run in 2000.

[Kodiak]

Liberals I admire...

Thomas Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton
Thomas Paine

Contemporary examples:

JFK (economic views)
Daniel Patrick Moynihan (intelligence and sincerity)
James Carville (the liberal I love to hate)

[Baker]

I have always admired Chris Matthews from MSNBC's hardball he is not afraid to lean to the right on a view if he feel’s its the wrong approach from the left.

[arcticpenguin]

As a centrist, do I get to keep ridiculing both sides?

[Reager]

Originally posted by hammegk


Startlingly profound! Well done!

Off topic:

Get a clue, pal. That yawn was more profound than your childish antics.

On Topic:

John McCain...I don't know if I "admire" conservatives like WFBuckley and George Will, but their writing is intelligent and thought provoking (even if Buckley is a bit too ahh, erudite for my taste. I'm a big believer in the KISS theory of writing. Reading a Buckley column is like eavedropping on a cocktail party conversation already in progress).

It's unfortunate, but the "bad apples" tend to drown out the conservatives (and liberals) who are worth listening to. For every George Will, there is an Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, etc.. They care nothing for rational arguments, but thrive on a fundamental hatred of anything they perceive as "liberal" (which is pretty much anything they disagree with).

Oop, sorry for the diatribe. Guess that was a bit off topic...

Mike

[Sundog]

Originally posted by hammegk
I admire many liberals -- when they are deceased and no longer trying to run everyone's business except their own.

Get ahead of the curve. Admire me now.

[Roadtoad]

Sheesh, where do I start!?!?! Tony Blair, Sam Nunn, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and when I've time to read her, Ellen Goodman, (I still laugh thinking about her column from nearly 25 years ago about the "New Ambidexters"). There's too many others, as well, which I can't name right off the top of my head.

On the right, I like Walter Williams, (someone needs to get a clue, and replace Rush with Williams), Colin Powell, George Will, Barry Goldwater, (loved reading his autobiography; I WANT HIS CAR!!!!), Thomas Sowell, Don Feder...

This is not a fair thread, Denise. I have to think about all those people I love reading, and try to remember all the wonderful stuff they write. Besides, where would you put William Raspberry?

[Questioninggeller]

Beer... some times whiskey.

[subgenius]

Originally posted by Questioninggeller
Beer... some times whiskey.
Jameson's with a Guinness chaser.:eek:

[coalesce]

William Kunstler. I didn't always agree with him, but he was the best on "that" side. Plus, he was on "Law and Order."

Ron Kuby can't carry his you-know-what!

Michael