Hmmmm.
So, a sitting senator who is currently the most popular politician in the history of the state (well, as far back as polls go) who gave the most memorable speech for the *winning* candidate at their convention, is mentally unstable?

Imagine reading a righty and them discussing how mentally unstable Hillary Clinton was. As looney as that'd seem to you, that's how over-the-top rhetoric about Miller looks, Buck.

He's a conservative Democrat who supported Bush. You may disagree with him...fine, I disagree with Hillary. But rhetoric like that does you no good whatsoever.

In fact, it hurts (no matter how passionately you feel it).

Posted by Ricky on December 15, 2004 05:37 PM Link to comment

Did you see his back and forth with Chris Matthews Ricky? He actually wished aloud that he could challenge Matthews to a duel. His speech at the Republican Convention was filled with ridiculous rhetoric and was the lowest point of the convention. That is why it was so memorable. I am no Democrat so my comments are not partisan.

Adolf Hitler was extremely popular in Germany in the 30's and 40's but I would still characterize him as being mentally unstable at the time. Popularity does not require mental stability.

Zell Miller is just an old man who needs to quitely fade away before he makes a sure enough ass out of himself.

Posted by Buck on December 15, 2004 09:00 PM Link to comment

A comparison with Hitler makes it even worse.

His speech at the Republican Convention was filled with ridiculous rhetoric and was the lowest point of the convention.
The voters didn't seem to think so.

Posted by Ricky on December 15, 2004 10:15 PM Link to comment

Hey, no html in the comments?

The first sentence of the second paragraph above should've been in italics.

Posted by Ricky on December 15, 2004 10:16 PM Link to comment

Let me put it this way: I'm a registered Republican who often votes for Democrats (voted for two last month). I've voted for Max Cleland & against Max Cleland. I've voted for Zell Miller and against Zell Miller.

Calling someone you disagree with mentally instable & comparing them with Hitler won't get my vote leaning in your direction. And, contrary to what you may think, my vote can be had.

Posted by Ricky on December 15, 2004 10:20 PM Link to comment

Ricky - HTML is on in the comments. I guess I never noticed I had left the italics out. It's fixed now - thanks for the heads up.

I don't think Buck is after anybody's vote. He's not running for anything, he's not working on anybody's campaign, and he calls 'em as he sees 'em.

His point about Hitler was that popularity doesn't guarantee mental stability. I suppose he could have made that point without using Hitler as an example, but I don't see where doing that to demonstrate that point is a "comparison". I've done the same thing myself in a discussion or two. Hitler is the universal bad guy, and he's simply too convenient as a counterexample to all sorts of conventional wisdom never to use him.

I heard part of Zell's speech at the RNC, an interview he did with NPR, and parts of his interview with Matthews, all fairly recent appearances. The vibe I get from him is a similar vibe that I get from a lot of partisans that have let their self-righteous political fervor get the best of them. I can see where Buck gets the impression that Zell has come unglued. If you believe it's just partisan zeal, you're probably right. But I'm the kind of person who sees that kind of partisan zeal as a negative thing that clouds thinking and muddies the discourse, and I'm also apt to use hyperbole like "mental instability" to express my negative view of the attitude. But that's just me, right?

Posted by smijer on December 16, 2004 06:37 AM Link to comment

Long-time Georgians know that Zell's rhetoric hasn't really changed, it's just that the targets have.

Methinks that's the problem in many circles.

Granted: Zell *has* changed...he's moved to the right. Not as far as Gore has to the left, but 9/11 certainly affected the senator (as it apparently has several other high-profile people like Dennis Miller, Ed Koch and James Woods).

Posted by Ricky on December 16, 2004 11:00 AM Link to comment

I probably should have used Ozzy Osbourne as an example instead of Hitler but the point was (as Smijer has already so kindly pointed out) that you do not have to be mentally stable to be popular. I probably should have used the word "irrational" instead of the term "mentally unstable"

In my warped lexicon "irrational" "mentally unstable" and "partisan zeal" are synonymous and at times I have been guilty of all three.

In my opinion Zell is making the same mistake that John Rocker made. Zell is planting himself far too often in front of far too many camera's and has too little control over his emotions. It is only a matter of time before he shoves his foot so far into his mouth and down his throat that he will have to pull his pants down to untie his shoe.

Posted by Buck on December 16, 2004 11:23 AM Link to comment

John Rocker was making bigoted and disgusting social statements without abandon.
Zell Miller is making pointed POLITICAL commentary, no different than what he's said during his entire career.....why it's so newsworthy is that he's now going after his own party.

That said, your "irrational" update takes care of everything. No kidding.
I just thought that the original was over the top....sorry if I came across as anal (well, I am anal, but I wasn't trying to be in this case). :)

Posted by Ricky on December 16, 2004 11:11 PM Link to comment

John Rocker made many, many statements before he finally MADE a series of remarks that he wishes now he had not made. My point is that Rocker talked and talked and talked and talked until he finally said something that he wished he would not have said. Miller is setting himself up to eventually do the same thing. Once it is said it will have been said and all he will be able to do then is hang his head and melt away into obscurity. What I am trying to say is that Zell would do well to listen more and talk less. His attitude is much too much like the attitude of a 21 year old marine on December 8th, 1941 and the world has drastically changed in the last 63 years.

And remember Ricky, Love means never having to say you're sorry ;-)

Posted by Buck on December 18, 2004 01:58 PM Link to comment