Draft Krauthammer in 2012—because the nation needs a shrink
I noticed a commenter calling him/herself “KrauthammerIn2012,” and it got me thinking: hey, why not?
He’s smart. The fact that he’s a paraplegic doesn’t matter; we’ve had one (or close to one) for president before, and he did pretty well, according to a lot of people.
As for journalists—well, Churchill across the pond had been one, and I hear he did okay as Prime Minister.
We’ve never had a psychiatrist before. But I think the nation needs one. Especially in 2012, when we’ll be trying to pick up the pieces of the debacle caused by the previous president, and wondering how we could have been so stupid as to vote for him.
So, whaddya think? And my fellow psychobloggers, you might want to chime in on this one, too.
[NOTE: And speaking of psychiatrists and psychobloggers, my esteemed colleague Dr. Sanity is back.]
[ADDENDUM: Here’s an article with some interesting background on Krauthammer. It’s undated, but my guess is that it’s about twenty years old.]
I love Charles Krauthammer, but I take it you’re not entirely serious! He’s way too mordant and dark and his face is too much of a face. And he’s Jewish.
But being a paraplegic might really work in his favor — his claim to some kind of heroic victimhood. Of course, he wouldn’t take advantage of that, so forget it.
mizpants: No, it’s meant to be a joke (maybe I should have put a smiley face on it :-)).
But it’s not altogether a joke, either. I think he’d be a better president than most of the candidates out there. But not electable, nor do I think he’d want the job.
I agree! 1) He’s articulate and consistently conservative, something we haven’t had in a Republican candidate for a long time. 2) His education and achievements would make it difficult for the left to paint him as a moron, not that they wouldn’t try. 3) As a physician, he’s in a unique position to get us out of the upcoming health care disaster.
Mizpants – his being Jewish could allow us to screech about anti-semitism anytime he was disagreed with. Another plus. 😉
heh… the fact he’s a psychiatrist is a bigger problem for me than anything else.
Donna B, from my extensive experience with both, a psychiatrist is a less-risky choice than a social worker, such as Carol Shea-Porter, or (gulp) me.
Hmmmm. A shrink for prez. Interesting. 🙂
Charles the Great, as I call him, is one of my Top Three conservative writers: Victor Davis Hanson & Mark Steyn being the others. I think that Dr.Krauthammer is from Canada, originally, as is Steyn the Great.
NeoNeo…Thanks for the ‘Heads Up’ on Dr.Sanity’s site. I visited and love it. Doc’s a fan of the 3-writers I mentioned here and takes 9-11-2001 as important, gigantic, current and sacred as I. Feel like you pointed me towards gold.
Dr Krauthammer would be great. I believe I heard him say once that he is a “recovering psychiatrist” which could be a double positive. Why he would want the job, that would be a large obstacle.
Charles gave a magnificent speech at the Manhattan Institute last year titled, “Decline is a Choice”. (It’s a must read/listen to if you can find it)
Anyway, after he was introduced but before the actual speech, he remarked that he was a speechwriter for Mondale in the 1970s. I was amazed to learn that someone as conservative as he is was once a liberal Democrat.
He’s not electable in part because he is so conservative and in part because his disability will prevent him from campaigning.
But I can dream, can’t I?
There would be two obstacles to his getting the nomination: 1) His expressed policy towards abortion (keeping it legal in the first two trimesters) is too liberal for social conservatives and 2) his handicap would keep him from traveling and speaking as much as and in the manner that would be required.
KrauthammerIn2012…Yes, the man you take your moniker from is a longtime Neoconservative. Your middle paragraph above is a short, accurate definition of our Evil Cabal. Refugees, as it were, from the Dark Side.
AVI – perhaps as a layperson, I’m probably too inclined to lump psychiatrists in with any “mental health professional” including social workers… but, yes… social workers do give me pause 🙂
You, neo, and a few others I’ve encountered on the ‘net are so incredibly different from those I worked for or have encountered in my son’s mental health adventures that it’s difficult for me to accept all y’all belong to same species.
Krauthammer’s writing is lucid, wise and to the point. That does not mean he would be a good executive, but I’d rather follow him than anyone else out there right now — possibly excepting Pawlenty. I have heard, though, that French is his first language and thought he was born in France or Canada. As for the physical disability, that’s nothing compared to the moral and ethical disabilities we suffer through with our current crop of politicians. F
Neo,
I really admire Krauthammer: he strikes me as one of the most thoughtful and deep of political commentators.
But as a psychiatrist, I don’t think we are the right type for politics; too apt to see too many sides of a problem.
But K. never practiced psychiatry (I believe) so maybe he’d do OK.
Jamie Irons
According to Wikipedia, he was born in New York, and grew up in Montreal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Krauthammer
I would love to have Krauthammer as president, my governor, or just my neighbor. His insight is awe inspiring.
I agree about Victor Davis Hanson and Mark Steyn. Maybe we can have a triumvirate. Victor could tell us all about it.
Love Krauthammer! My personal favorite. He’s brilliant! Too brilliant, prob. to WANT the position, unfortunately.
He writes wonderfully, and is particularly articulate. He probably would be an excellent choice, but, again, doubt he’d even consider it! His conservativism is born of reason, thorough knowledge of history, w/ broad consideration of many current issues, as opposed to certain others who focus on isolated subjects as if in a vacuum.
By the way, his life’s story is fascinating — how he made it thru med. school — Harvard Med. (after Harvard undergrad — not a transfer like Obama who hides his transcripts!) — after his accident, and paraplegia aside, became chief resident at Mass Gen’l (Harvard’s teaching hospital).
Also, when he first left psychiatry to take a position in the govt., it was during Jimmy Carter’s administration!
Bonus trivia: It was he who coined the term “the Bush Doctrine” and has written that rather than having one specific definition ( (are you listening Charles Gibson?), evolved during Bush’s Presidency to signify several different meanings? (So Sarah Palin was, indeed, correct when she answered Gibson’s inquiry with “Which one?”
See:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/12/AR2008091202457.html
Interesting that after this country elected a black man (half-black), there are those that find his Judaism disqualifying. And, regrettably, it probably would be. Especially with the threat of terrorism so raw and threatening. After all, Jews are No. 1 on most Muslims’ hit list (pun intended). (and that’s not to mention the anti-Semitism that either has never gone away, or is “enjoying” a revival, both domestically and internationally.
I plan to vote for Benjamin Netanyahu for President in 2012.
It worries me, and I dislike that religion has become politically important.
While I can understand that someone who truly believes that the earth was created 6000 years ago has not examined the question with an open mind…, it does not follow that a Christian, Jew, or Muslim is necessarily unqualified to hold political office.
But that only applies in a nation that, like the U.S., has formally declared that religion is separate from politics.
And, that is the problem I have with more than one politician… if they say their religion informs their politics, then I say NO to them.
I have no problem with a shrink for Prez, provided he or she shrinks the gummint.
I respect Krauthammer’s sober and measured analysis and enjoy hearing his responses to opposing viewpoints. The President’s position unfortunately is one of image (how is it again that Obama is in office?) and Charles probably would not get much play. I did see Scott Brown over at another posting on this blog, and that man could prove to be a very interesting figure to watch.
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Well, after the “theraputic” presidency of Bubba, we could do worse than someone who actually earned a license to practice.
njcommuter…Bubba was the proto-poster child for psychopathology. A huge extreme and easier than heck to read. Before Andrew Sully lost his blinking mind, he wrote a wonderful New Republic piece as ‘TRB’ around Feb.or March 2001 on the recent X-Prez, “Psycho”. Priceless. Adult Child of an Alcoholic step daddy and a fawning, trampy Mom who coddled and spoiled the snot outta Billy. Whilst denying any truth of the 2,000-lb elephant hubby in the room.
Bamster is a far cooler customer. Far less revealing, but miles of ‘childhood ish-shoes’! More & more revealing is True Believer and Alinskyite Liar+Voice for the ‘Victims’. Far scarier than the translucent Bubbster.
I have a very dear friend who is the chief communications officer for a large state university. She has worked mainly in higher ed and is a dyed-in-the-wool liberal. I’d describe her a fairly knee-jerk in her views, although she is a good listener, inquisitive and always interested in the views of others.
Charles Krauthammer was booked as a speaker at my friend’s university and prior to his arrival she and many of her staff members griped quite a bit about the university’s decision to give a soapbox to a “raging conservative” like Dr. K. Long story short, my friend was responsible for arranging various accommodations for Dr. K (related to his disability) so she had an opportunity to spend time talking with him personally prior to and upon his arrival on campus.
He utterly charmed my friend with his down-to-earth manner and humor. By the time he left campus, she was a fan! Even better, she was influenced by Dr. K’s intellect and persuasive viewpoints.
I found the whole situation pretty amusing but then I’ve been a huge Krauthammer fan for years now.
He’s a kingmaker, not a king.
He’d be good in a cabinet too. Or, can you imagine, White House Press Secretary?
I completely agree about the triumvirate and I’m happy I’m not alone.
For president, I can dream, it’ll never happen, but what a guy, what accomplishments: Gen, David Petraeus.
is not K. Canadian-born and thus ineligible for office?
R.B. Glennie: he was born in NY, raised in Montreal.
Krauthammer in 2012! Where can I send my money!!??
CV is right – I’ve had the pleasure of being at talks by Dr. Krauthammer twice – he is indeed charming and a true mentsch.
Whenever I talk about something he wrote or said, I always preface it with, “Charles Krauthammer, the smartest man in Washington, said….”
Nice article, nice comments. We can dream, can’t we??
I believe Charles also very aptly coined the phrase “Bush Derangement Syndrome”…he’s a genius.
Amy..I’m with you on General Petraeus. I was able to thank him in person a few months ago when he threw out the first ball at our Tampa Bay Rays game in St.Pete. My wife, an baseball fanatic & autograph hound, got the general to autograph a ball and it sits on my desk in a UV resistant case as I type this.
A Real Warrior and a Real Man.