“Presently, the overwhelming majority of the earth’s population is too consumed with their everyday struggles to give much thought to the political and economic forces that are the primary determinants of the quality of their daily existence. It is not surprising, therefore, that they are, by and large, grossly and tragically uninformed and misinformed. Most of what is widely and publicly communicated — such as advertising campaigns, political discourse, financial advice, and religious doctrine — is deliberately manipulative and misleading. … However, out of the jangle of conflicting opinions and theories, facts and fancies, lies and deceptions, it is inevitable that truth will emerge. The truth cannot be forever suppressed, and in this age of the democratization of communication, the light is growing brighter and brighter. In the end, everything will be revealed.” — The Coming Global Coalescence, page 40, print edition.
What are we to make of the news that South Carolinians have overwhelmingly chosen Newt Gingrich to become the Republican nominee to run for the highest office in the land? Why have they picked him from among the four seriously flawed candidates still standing following earlier contests in Iowa and New Hampshire? It is revealing that, when a CNN reporter interviewed a roomful of voters who were originally undecided, many favored Gingrich after viewing his performance at the most recent debate which persuaded them that “he could win the election.” And what was it about his performance that persuaded them? It was the way he responded to his second wife’s revelation that he requested her permission to carry on an affair with the woman who was later to become his third wife and who now proudly accompanies him on his campaign trail. You might think that such a charge against a man who has presented himself as a champion of the sanctity of marriage would drive him from the stage. Not so! Instead, he ranted against the questioner for even raising the issue. And how did the audience respond? They took to their feet and roared their approval. That says a great deal about the character of Newt Gingrich, and even more about the audience. It is tempting to say they deserve one another. But call me naive. My optimistic side believes that an awakening is right around the corner.
George Carlin rants about “Lying Politicians and Words.”