Quote:
Originally posted by Charlatan
Abe Lincoln (an astounding master of the debate) must be rolling in his grave.
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Your point is understood but I doubt Lincoln is rolling in his grave. This type of discourse has been prevalent even before his presidency.
"Media pundits are clucking their tongues over the negative tone of this year's presidential candidates, noting the rhetorical dust-ups between George W. Bush, John McCain, and Al Gore. But, hey, these guys are wimps in the political name-calling game!
Yes, Bush and Gore are nasty, but they tend to be whiners rather than vipers, and neither one is the least bit creative. If you want someone to snap your political garters; try this verbal retort that Sam Houston gave when his opponent dared criticize him in an 1842 Texas campaign: "You prate about the faults of other men, while the blot of foul unmitigated treason rests upon you, you political wrangler and canting hypocrite whom the waters of Jordan could never cleanse from your political and moral leprosy." Now there's a real Texan . . . not the pale shadow of one offered by George W. "Shrub" Bush!
Or, try the genteel put down that Abraham Lincoln gave to an opponent: "He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." Don't you wish we had even one candidate who had such a way with words? Let's spin back to old England, when Disraeli and Gladstone were bitter political enemies. Asked to distinguish between a misfortune and a calamity, Disraeli said: "If Gladstone fell into the Thames, that would be a misfortune, and if someone pulled him out, that, I suppose, would be a calamity."
[snip]
--http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=9849
God damn your God damned old hellfired God damned soul to hell. God damn you and God damn your damned family's God damned hellfired God damned soul to hell and Good damnation God damn them and God damn you God damned friends to hell.
Peter Muggins expressing his opinion of the President in a letter to him
Filthy story teller, despot, liar, theif, braggart, buffoon, usurper, monster, ignoramus Abe, old scoundrel, perjurer, swindler, tyrant, field-butcher, land-pirate..
Harpers magzine on Abraham Lincoln
--http://www.insults.net/html/political/abrahamlincoln.html
A slur upon the moral government of the world
John Quincy Adam 1767-1848 on Thomas Jefferson
--http://www.insults.net/html/political/thomasjefferson.html
More political figures' quotes:
http://www.insults.net/html/political/