B_Skurka said:
I suppose many people would suggest that a 'slut' and a 'whore' are synonyms. I don't think it is dirty-tricks. I do think all this type of stuff, by both sides, is childish. And while I won't defend the hypocrites of the right, I hope you are not suggesting that the left isn't full of the same!
To me, the difference is extreme -- one is wanton and promiscuous, the other is wanton and promiscuous for payment. A slut is a slut regardless; a whore may well be a lady when not engaged in professional activities. A slut is a slut just because she is; a whore is not necessarily a whore without payment.
Of course, as some have commented, for better or worse, my forte is words. I'm one of the few who understood exactly why it was important to define what "is" is. Words have meanings; the reason why there are so many different words is because one is better suited in certain situations than another. The fact that words may have come into common use as synonyms is usually because of ignorance. I think you understand that as well as I do.
I suppose that's one of the reasons I feel such kinship with Clinton; he and I are both wonks. I only wish I could be so smart. And, obviously, I can't stand to be on the same planet with someone who says "nucular" and, "It's hard work. That means you have to work hard. And we are. Working hard. At it. [boyish grin and aw-shucks shuffle]"
Now, as for the sluts, Clinton had his weakness. He was still a great President. I'm not discussing my weakness, although it's not sluts, booze, drugs, gambling or any of the more obvious ones. I'm willing to bet you have your weakness, too, although I don't want to know what it is. However, I'll also bet that it doesn't affect your ability to run your company.
Am I suggesting that the left is not as bad as the right? Well, yeah, I am suggesting exactly that. Think about it. No doubt Bush has his weakness, also, and I bet if we turned loose a left-oriented Ken Starrr (if such a thing exists) and $40 million, we'd discover what that weakness is. But, I've never heard of the left even contemplating such a thing. Even Nixon was given a chance to resign. The left understands how much an impeachment would hurt the nation; the right simply doesn't give a shit, if they even gave it a passing thought.
It's difficult to find the left engaging in petty name-calling. Of course, the left doesn't have mindless jerks like Limbaugh and O'Reilly. The left has a few who have tried to match that level, but no one on the left takes them seriously, while the right marches to the cliff like lemurs behind the right-wing clowns.
I'm certain the left has engaged in dirty tricks, but they're a hell of a lot more subtle about it than breaking into the opponent's headquarters. Generally, the left throws more intellectual monkey wrenches, like Robert Byrd's encyclopedic knowledge of Senate rules. In frustration, the right just gets meaner and sillier.
I will admit that Hillary engaged in just a little of the pettiness when she referred to Bush as the "Alfred E. Neuman of politics", but on the other hand, it's pretty hard to argue that she's wrong...