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John J. Pitney Jr. is a famous conservative professor of political science. He works at Claremont McKenna College, in California. Jay asks him about California – is there any gold left in it?
He also asks Pitney about his upbringing and education. And about his conservatism. How did he get that way? Well, at 13, he started reading National Review and corresponding with William F. Buckley Jr.
What about life on campus? Are students teachable, or are they aflame with ideology? What about the current GOP (which Pitney has left, after a lifetime)?
Jay further asks Pitney about his work on “the politics of autism.” And about his political heroes. And more. (“Whaddaya read, to keep informed?”)
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A fantastic discussion with my old government professor. Really takes me back.
I am disheartened that the worst thing an academic conservative has to say about B.H. Obama is that he overpromised. And that Pitney thinks he would personally like him is demoralizing. This about him who originated the proto-deplorables term, “clingers,” loathing half the citizenry who stood in his imperious way. This about him whose political civility is best characterized as ‘If They Bring a Knife to the Fight, We Bring a Gun.’ This about him who repeatedly bent the mechanisms of the state to punish his political opponents and shield allies—even to the last few months as evidence of Susan Rice as the unmasker was whisked away to the Obama library.
In contrast to Mr. Nordlinger and Dr. Pitney, I have never been a registered Republican though I have voted R most of the last 30 years. This year as in all the previous ones, I followed the Buckley rule and voted for Trump. Never having had a membership card, I do not share the discussants’ reverse convert’s zeal at having repudiated my Republicanism. And apparently, I lacked their wisdom, as I saw 2 choices before me for President and made one. As such, I will apparently be made to feel bad about and defend every coarse word or wrong decision by the President. This condescension is growing tiresome.
“Mr. Obama would make a splendid Dean of a university faculty.” That was Mr. Pitney’s comment. I stopped listening at that moment. What an incredibly moronic statement. Again, we have a former Republican falling in love with the elegance of our former commie in chief versus our current crass, conservative acting President. Disgusting. Good bye Jay.
Pretty sure you missed Professor Pitney’s point on that one.
I agree with comments above slamming Mr. Pitney for his opinion of Obama, especially in contrast to his abhorrence of Trump. He praises Obama as a good family man ignoring the the fact that Trump is also. Especially disturbing is his inability to see Obama’s cold blooded dedication to his America hating radical leftist ideology, plainly visible by his lack of concern for the suffering of others in Iran and the greater middle east as a result of his policies, i.e. supporting Iranian thug leadership over the Green Movement which might have overthrown regime with U.S. support, refusing to supply Ukraine with weapons to fend off Russians. Obama was the only IL state rep to vote against law requiring medical assistance be given viable babies that survived attempted abortion. Both Trump and Obama are narcissistic and thin skinned, Obama having self control but I believe him to be truly evil.