Thinking Right

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

January 19, 2009 8:41 AM | Link to this

Good morning all. Is a college degree essential? No, not if she can think and write. Our leftist friends are the ones who are hung up on credentials and ticket punches. Conservatives applaud a good argument from even a flawed vessel (in the knowledge that we are all flawed.)

The ideal candidate would be the next Ann Coulter, one with dazzling logic skills and a sense of humor. If only PoFo were a conservative!

By Ragnar Danneskjöld

January 19, 2009 8:51 AM | Link to this

And where are my manners! Congratulations on your pending semi-retirement, Jim. We are all comforted that you are not going away, but merely reducing the frequency of your contributions. I think there was a WSJ editor who retired in the 1970s, Vermont Royster?, who wrote many of his best articles during the 20 years after he retired from daily management. We look forward to enjoying your work for years to come.

By Maniac is accurate

January 19, 2009 8:52 AM | Link to this

If Julia Wallace has an older sister for him, Pofo could play a conservative on the Internets.

By Todd Sorenson

January 19, 2009 9:04 AM | Link to this

Given that two of the presidents that president-elect Obama cites as being primary role models—Lincoln and Truman—did not go to college, and it seems obviosu that a college degree is no guarantee of sound thinking.

I wonder though: what are the educational backgrounds of the other contributing editors? It would probably not be wise to have one of the only voices of conservatism in the AJC put behind the perception 8-ball from the get go because his “liberal” colleagues did not respect his/her “credentials”.

By Todd Sorenson

January 19, 2009 9:09 AM | Link to this

Given that two of the former presidents of the United States that Barack Obama cites as his primary role models—Lincoln and Truman—did not go to college, a degree should not be “essential”. It seems obvious that a college degree is no guarantee of wisdom. On the other hand, given that the person to be hired will be a somewhat solitary voice of conservatism at the AJC, it probalby wouldn’t be wise to hire someone whose ‘liberal’ colleagues could perceive as credential-challenged from the get-go.

By Todd Sorenson

January 19, 2009 9:10 AM | Link to this

Given that two of the former presidents of the United States that Barack Obama cites as his primary role models—Lincoln and Truman—did not go to college, a degree should not be “essential”. It seems obvious that a college degree is no guarantee of wisdom. On the other hand, given that the person to be hired will be a somewhat solitary voice of conservatism at the AJC, it probalby wouldn’t be wise to hire someone whose ‘liberal’ colleagues could perceive as credential-challenged from the get-go.

By Todd Sorenson

January 19, 2009 9:14 AM | Link to this

Given that two of the former presidents of the United States who Barack Obama cites as his primary role models—Lincoln and Truman—did not go to college, a degree should not be “essential”. It seems obvious that a college degree is no guarantee of wisdom. On the other hand, given that the person to be hired will be a somewhat solitary voice of conservatism at the AJC, it probably wouldn’t be wise to hire someone whose ‘liberal’ colleagues could perceive as credential-challenged from the get-go.

By Simple Answers

January 19, 2009 9:16 AM | Link to this

Q: Is a college degree essential for a conservative columnist?

A: No. Education is for pointy-headed elite liberals.

Hire Sarah Palin. She’s a “real” person. If she is not available, Redneck Convert will do just as well.

By Jack

January 19, 2009 9:21 AM | Link to this

I will miss having your writings to stir my mind and jump start my day. No one gets to my boiling point more consistently than the morning missives from you. Does a commentator need a college diploma? It certainly seems to me that it would help to have a sound college level education in the liberal arts to develop an appreciation of history, political ideology, economics, and the general stuff that makes for intelligent dialogue and social commentary. Thanks for the years of dialogue and stimulation. Enjoy your new adventures.

By Todd Sorenson

January 19, 2009 9:22 AM | Link to this

Given that two of the former presidents of the United States who Barack Obama cites as primary role models—Lincoln and Truman—did not go to college, a degree should not be “essential”. It seems obvious that a college degree is no guarantee of wisdom, nor does the lack thereof mean a person is less intelligent or insightful. On the other hand, given that the person to be hired will be a somewhat solitary voice of conservatism at the AJC, it probably wouldn’t be wise to hire someone whose ‘liberal’ colleagues could perceive as credentially-challenged from the get-go.

By RealConservativeValuesApplicant

January 19, 2009 9:24 AM | Link to this

I would like to apply for your vacant position Jim. I am a xenophobic nativist that can also be bigoted, blustery, and bombastic. I am deathly afraid of anything remotely different than me and I am dead set against the heatherns buying beer on Sunday. I regularly read the rants of D.A. King on vDARE.com and will stand fast for the white on the right. There can be nobody more indicative of true conservatism than me. I am certainly qualified for this position. Please consider me.

By Chris Broe

January 19, 2009 9:33 AM | Link to this

A conservative label is applied with a grain of salt. Wooten’s criteria is as arbitrary as the remedy for the common cold. He cant define conservatism any more effectively than he can tell us what he thinks the mission of US troops was in Iraq during 2004-2007. (The surge makes it no easier to define. Notice how a withdrawal scenario avoids definite end game accomplishments).

A conservative, if you use Wooten’s body of work as a rosetta stone, must employ antebellum spin about socio-economic demographic data that uses ethnic heritage as categorical motivations for resolutions.

Before I accept this position as Wooten’s replacement, I must be fully satisfied that Wooten can define conservatism.

Then, I’ll let you know. I’ve lived in atlanta for thirty short years. I still get lost. If my GPS screen didn’t automatically show the big chicken in 1080p I’d never get anywhere. Perhaps a conservative should know how to read a map first.

Happy MLK day!

By Chris Broe

January 19, 2009 9:44 AM | Link to this

was listening to MLK’s “I have a dream” speech on television this morning. When I was a child, I thought JFK was our greatest speaker. His accent was new to me and I just loved the effect his words had on my young spirit. If I listen to JFK today, at 57, the spell is broken and I understand that he was of his time in the sixties, like the Beatles.

MLK had the best delivery of any speaker in my lifetime. He could be the greatest American Speaker. His speeches are so powerful that he could be the Greatest Living American Speaker. His words certainly live and breath and inspire me down to my core.

My dreams are about personal ambition, (and petty revenge fantasies where my enemies sing off key and I guest solo on the Rubber Soul album.) MLK dreamt for this country’s ambition, where liberty’s enemies would come to understand the true meaning of Justice in America.

Justice in America: Is that light at the end of the tunnel the train Obama took to Washington?

By Todd Sorenson

January 19, 2009 9:44 AM | Link to this

Sorry everyone, for the multiple posts of the same comment. The web site kept giving me an error message, saying that the site was busy, please try again later. Looks like the error message was in error.

By findog

January 19, 2009 9:45 AM | Link to this

Dear Jim,

I hope that retirement finds you well, I think of you as the devil’s advocate that is desperately needed to keep things in reality. While I sometimes find your position too far right for my personal beliefs and experiences they have never been out of bounds. Greatest challenge will be to find someone qualified willing to take a cut in pay. Anyone capable of presenting your level of intelligent analysis would be of great value in the open market and they would have to do it as a public service for the betterment of the great State of Georgia as a whole…

As for education I would say that some weight should be given to degrees but never to the exclusion of an extraordinarily capable mind.

By Black Female Engineer

January 19, 2009 10:01 AM | Link to this

Jim, you will be missed. It is great to read a varied point of view. There is a bit of a conservative in all of us, it just depends on the topic.

I am a Black woman who is proud to see a person of color become president. Yet, I am concerned. The defense budget is number one on the chopping block.

The area of defense employs some of the brightest and best engineers, scientists and personnel in the world. It is a diverse group of Americans. While it has not made us rich, we are providing a much needed service to our country, keeping the America on the edge of cutting technology and providing for our families. We are a group of Americans who have followed the rules, bought homes we can afford, volunteer in the community, maintain good credit, drive cars we can afford, etc.

What do I tell my children when they look at me and say, “Mom, we have a Black president, why are you losing your job?”

I pray President Obama sees the need for continued production of the F-22 and our necessary defense programs. His first priority should be to take care of home and Americans.

By ron

January 19, 2009 10:25 AM | Link to this

Congratulations ,Jim,on your pending retirement.I’m certainly enjoying mine.I wish you the best of health for the coming years.

College degree necessary?Probably.Just for protection.Some paper to hang on the wall to impress Ms. Tucker.

The interview process can be impartial and the best applicant can be chosen.I’ve seen it done.I’ve also seen the other where the boss says it’s his way or the highway.

Your replacement needs experience,and for that you have to pay.I’m very afraid that the salary will determine what we get for quality.I don’t imagine that money is pentiful anymore in the newspaper business,so a cut-rate columnist wouldn’t be an item beyond their ability to foist upon us.

Please,not Bob Barr.

By The Anti-Wooten

January 19, 2009 10:31 AM | Link to this

BFE,

You ask “What do I tell my children when they look at me and say, “Mom, we have a Black president, why are you losing your job?”

Tell them that ~30 years of “voodoo economics” foisted upon American by Republicans and the rightwing have severely damaged the very foundation of our nations economic strength. Tell them that disastrous policy decisions by George W Bush have made it more likely that middle America and the American middle class are going to vanish. Tell them that until some semblance of normalcy, stability and competency are restored to our national government and fiscal institutions that we’re all at risk.

Why should not some of those bright people that you speak of be retasked into areas such as energy development and infrastructure redesign? That is one of the ideas that our next president should and will be working toward.

To The Wootenanny: so long, farewell, auf weidersen, goodbye. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

By @@

January 19, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this

Is a college education needed, Jim?

Naahhhh! If, by the 12th grade, a person hasn’t learned how to put “colons” in their proper place, they’re pretty much a lost cause.

Everybody knows “the colon” extracts water and salt from “solid wastes” before “the pol” can be eliminated.

Enjoy your semi-retirement, Jim. It can be a blessing in disguise.

Continue to be an advocate for the children. They need many more like you. Men who are strong enough and willing to support them.

By Chris Broe

January 19, 2009 10:58 AM | Link to this

A college education is essential for a writer. Not because of the 3 R’s, or the ABC’s, or even the IOU’s, but rather for the exposure to all the LOLs, the OMGs and the GFYs. Those season a fellow, and make him realize that only half the people will ever accept you, no matter if you’re Lincoln, or Obama, or even Jimmy Durante. Half like you. Half dont. It’s a fact of life.

Who couldn’t like Jimmy Durante? Half the movie goers didn’t like him, that’s who.

By JLK

January 19, 2009 11:14 AM | Link to this

I have a journalism degree, although I work in a field that does not require me to be a wh0re and sell out my integrity for the sake of sensationalism and a few measly advertising dollars. But maybe this is a good time to move back into the dying realm of newspapers! Question: By “conservative,” do you mean actual, traditional conservatives like Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower? Or a more bold kind of conservative like Barry Goldwater? Or do you mean “conservative” like the power-greedy neo-fascists of recent decades who successfully re-defined the word, as well as “liberty,” “freedom,” “habeus corpus,” “patriotism,” numerous executive powers, and several portions of the Bill of Rights — all while transferring staggering amounts of wealth (real, borrowed, and fabricated) from every possible corner of our economy into the pockets of a chosen few? Is this information posted elsewhere on the AJC website?

By Hank Rearden

January 19, 2009 11:26 AM | Link to this

Your column is the only one I can read in the Atlanta Paper (which I do not buy). I’m sure Cynthia Tucker and her merry band of liberal buddies would rather have a wishy-washy John McCain type “conservative” on the board if they have their choice (which I’m sure they will).

The fix is in!

By Bravo

January 19, 2009 11:27 AM | Link to this

Well said JLK. You defined the new conservatism perfectly.

By NameJacking for Dummies

January 19, 2009 11:27 AM | Link to this

Speaking of weath. The value of derivative and hedge type investments is 500 trillion dollars. The value of hard assets is around 150 trillion. The imaginary assets invented by Wallstreet is not really money, but future value… It’s not really there.

This global recession is so complicated that explaining it is half the journey toward solving it.

So far, nobody really understands what’s happening. No more than they understand earthquakes, asteroid strikes, or the next plague

I love those “Economic Crisis Explained” specials on TV, where some know-it-all tries to dumb it down ffor the viewer and opens up more questions than he aanswers.

If there is a person who can navigate these waters, he’s not stepped forward. I’m still trying to figure out what irrational exuberance means.

By Dusty

January 19, 2009 11:49 AM | Link to this

Hmmmm I’m thinking, Jim. This is one of those yes & yes questions.

Sure, it is great to have accomplished with the achievements of the mind and motive, a college degree and its stimulation of intelligence.

Sure, it is great that a person can excel and achieve goals with his/her own assets of mental ability and perserverence without “higher” education.

The next question IS: What does the record show???

By Headslap Spit Take

January 19, 2009 12:29 PM | Link to this

Dusty: “Sure, it is great to have accomplished with the achievements of the mind and motive, a college degree and its stimulation of intelligence.”

Proof positive that a phlebotomist certification is no substitute for a college education.

By Peter

January 19, 2009 12:40 PM | Link to this

To be a “Conservative Writer these days”………..Wow what a challenge……..

Let’s see what does one have to do, or has to become to become this ?

Be a Lemming ? Or a Blind follower.

Distort the Truth constantly ? EXAMPLE…….. Not Wrong. Not Left. Right. Common sense conservativism

Think a huge deficit is GOOD for America !

Get knee pads, and lipstick…….

Go to Church on Sunday, and forget all by Monday AM……..

Be prejudice…..

Dislike Children, and especially their EDUCATION !

Pretend to care about America !

Wow all those seem like “Typical Republican Family Values” !

By Captain Freedom's Immortal Soul

January 19, 2009 12:41 PM | Link to this

Jim -

THE Captain has had a talk with the Big Guy and he has agreed to raise THE Captain from the dead so that He can accept the position of Godly Right Thinking Conservative Columnist upon your retirement. Big Guy feels that it would be unfair to deprive humanity of THE Captain’s Common Sense wisdom in these troubled times. Big Guy is not sure what THE Captain might look like when He comes back, though, because His corpus has been underground since November, and thus may be a tad grotty looking.

There is usually a 3-day limit on these resurrection events, but Big Guy says THE Captain is worth the special handling. And since it has been so cold, the corpse may still be as handsome and dashing as the day THE Captain was planted.

Big Guy also figures THE Captain can hire John McCain’s American Idol makeup artist to spiff up around the edges. She made St John look remarkably lifelike, so just think what she could do with some primo Captain material. Besides, its hard to imagine a resurrected Captain Freedom looking any worse than Jim.

So, say a little prayer, Jimbo, and the Big Guy will take care of THE Captain’s assumption of your sinecure. And pay no attention to the complaints of Cynthia McKinney Tucker. Big Guy knows just how to deal with her. She’ll come around without a struggle. Nuff said.

And by the way, Big Guy says he looks forward to meeting you. Real soon, now.

By jm

January 19, 2009 12:42 PM | Link to this

I wonder what type of conservative columnist the AJC is looking for. One of the thought provoking type like the late William F. Buckley or maybe Tony Blankley (for those who don’t read him, you should) or one of those who preaches to the choir (Michelle Malkin comes to mind there).

By Maniac is accurate

January 19, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this

Will you be writing as Capt. Lazarus? And, will you maintain your direct line to Him? Seems that would be an invaluable source of scoops for the AJC and would seal the deal for you.

By Moot Point

January 19, 2009 1:05 PM | Link to this

Every Conservative I know doesn’t waste time reading the AJC anyway, because it is heavily biased left from page A1 - which is really nothing but a reprint of such non-biased outlets like the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, Chicago Tribune, etc. - to the Opinion section.

But, that’s neither here nor there. We Conservatives have to have our own venues for our voices. Even then, however, the ever presence of liberalism rears its ugly head on said Conservative voice websites and pages. Case in point, see this:

By GaLiberal January 19, 2009 11:55 AM

Well, Liberal, you have just proven how you Rethuglicon asslickers will lie just score some cheap points. The inauguration parties paid with private donations.

The facts and the truth are always out there - which is probably why the liberal left hates Drudge so much. Anyway, I can hear the howls from the hypocrite left if this were McCain’s party in these economic times. See if the below FACTS jive with what GaLiberal posted:

What Recession? The $170 Million Inauguration

Obama’s Inauguration Has Been Financed Partially by Bailed-Out Wall Street Executives

By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ ABC NEWS Business Unit Jan. 19, 2009

The country is in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, which isn’t stopping rich donors and the government from spending $170 million, or more, on the inauguration of Barack Obama

The federal government estimates that it will spend roughly $49 million on the inaugural weekend. Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland have requested another $75 million from the federal government to help pay for their share of police, fire and medical services.

In a letter to members of Congress, the governors of Maryland and Virginia, and the mayor of Washington said that their combined costs could exceed $75 million. That’s on top of the $49 million the federal government is spending, again mostly for security.

By William Kristol

January 19, 2009 1:11 PM | Link to this

Dear AJC,

My name is WIlliam Kristol and I am writing in regards to your opening for a conservative columnist.

I currently write for the NY Times, but it appears that I will be available to begin at the AJC very soon. Contrary to appearances, I am not a proud man, and I will be willing to empty trash cans and sweep floors as part of my employment agreement. Please, I really need this job. My family is getting tired of supporting me, and the think tanks that have been providing my welfare, I mean, my income, have fallen on hard times. I am desperate. Please, I’m begging.

As to my bona fides, I have been consistently wrong on every issue of the past 8 years. This makes me a perfect replacement for Mr Wooten, as most of your readers will detect no difference in the quality of our positions. I do fall a bit short in the smarmy small town homily department, but I can offer plenty of amusing anecdotes about my parents and their Manhattan hijinx, unless that seems to jew-y for your readership. Anything you need, I can deliver. One thing a Kristol knows how to do is bend principles!!

Anyway, thanks for considering my application. I know I can do better than that tramp Ann Coulter (trust me, I know) or that insane asiatic menace Malkin.

Yours Very Truly,

Bill Kristol

(no, not the cute, cuddly one in all the movies with Meg Ryan…I’m the reedy looking guy who gets hit with pies at public speaking engagements. Come on, whaddya mean you never heard of me?!?!)

By Jim Leeds

January 19, 2009 1:16 PM | Link to this

I find it extremely interesting that so many people have a problem staying on the subject. As I see it, the question ‘Is a college degree essential?” can be answered with a simple yes or no and a brief explanation of one’s beliefs. I’ll answer it by saying “Yes or no… depending on the age and experience of the individual.” My father, born in 1891, had to drop out of school after the 7th grade to help support his widowed mother, but he never stopped reading and learning. After I earned my bachelor’s degree, he was still able to teach me a thing or two. Having been involved with adult education for the last several years, I can attest that many people who’ve been given college degrees over the last couple of decades, have trouble writing clearly and have yet to master the art of using a spell checker. As for those who insist on using this forum to attack conservatism, I think they are simply proving my point. They’ve yet to learn how to read a simple question.

By Simple Answers

January 19, 2009 1:21 PM | Link to this

Moot Point -

Yet another wingnut distortion. The cost of the Obama inauguration is comparable to the Bush 2004 fete, and may actually come in a tad lower than that one. Drudge and his pals inflate the cost of Obama’s inauguration by including the costs of security in the total. This is contrary to the standard practice of cost estimating these events. For example, Bush 04 cost around $45 m, excluding security. Obama is projected at around $41-45 m, excluding security.

But hey, don’t let facts spoil your wingnut outrage. You guys are like teenage boys who stumble across a Hustler magazine. You know that it’s just a piece of paper, not really a woman at all, but you still pump away furiously hoping for something to happen. So it is with your fantasy Obama outrage of the day.

You should stop. You’ll just end up with hairy palms and bad eyesight.

By William F. Buckley

January 19, 2009 1:26 PM | Link to this

As my physical needs are not much reduced, I would be willing to take on the job for $1.56 per hour. Don’t think I currently fall under hourly wage law.

By Blind Harry

January 19, 2009 1:28 PM | Link to this

It was always my experience that something did happen, so it was far from a wasted exercise.

By William F. Buckley

January 19, 2009 1:35 PM | Link to this

Should have been my physical needs are NOW much reduced. I’ll still need an editor.

By Copyleft

January 19, 2009 1:35 PM | Link to this

Exceptional people, with or without degrees, can often generate remarkable achievements.

Regular people WITH degrees regularly do a lot better than regular people WITHOUT them.

Education’s not a guarantee, but it sure improves the odds that you’ll accomplish something worthwhile with your life.

By Dusty

January 19, 2009 1:48 PM | Link to this

Well, it looks like Headslap @12:29 took time out from selling pencils to blog a bit.

He seems quite familiar with phlebotomists as he has to have a lot of “draws” for his err rr condition. Hope you can throw it off, fellow, if you don’t reinfect.

Anyway, I know a few phlebotomist and I doubt that they would be interested in writing. That’s just a guess since I am not one of them.

But—back to the SUBJECT DE JOUR.. educational qualifications. It all DEPENDS unless you are all WET on this subject(such as Headslap).

Ah.. our dear Captain is back from fire and brimstrone looking for a job as we all suspected. Could he be PoFo the Chris Broe or who Knu or Muff Said or U Kno Who??

I still think that Detective Rose is the best choice. He is a law and order man who would keep things orderly at AJC ( at gunpoint if necessary) and is FUNNY! Perfect to handle lollygagging loquacious libs!!

By Jason

January 19, 2009 2:05 PM | Link to this

“If there is a person who can navigate these waters, he’s not stepped forward. I’m still trying to figure out what irrational exuberance means.”

Nouriel Roubini and Hassim Nicholas Taleb both give thorough yet accessible explanations of what caused the financial meltdown. Also, Michael Lewis’ article in Portfolio does a superb job of uncovering what went awry in the mortgage derivatives market.

By FreeAtLast

January 19, 2009 2:51 PM | Link to this

I really don’t care what this innauguration costs. Just the fact that tomorrow at 12:01pm Bush/Cheney are gone makes it worth whatever the total may be. Thank God and Greyhound those 2 are out of here. Especially Cheney. FREE AT LAST. FREE AT LAST. THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, FREE AT LAST!

By Chris Broe

January 19, 2009 2:55 PM | Link to this

Lovin’ Wooten’s shot at Molly Ivins. Great fun. I wonder if Molly read that and said, “Well!”

I’m thinking this open cattle call for conservatives is a publicity stunt. It’s hard to believe that Wooten’s replacement isn’t already assured. Maybe it’s his brother over in S. Carolina at the Post and Courier. (Their fonts online are ditto to the AJC’s). I noticed that Wooten suddenly announced his retirement a week after the AJC got a new publisher. I’m sure it’s a coincidence.

A man doesn’t leave without due deliberation. Wooten knew he was leaving, perhaps for some time. A man stays who he is all the way to the end. I like that. My mother in law took her atheism to the grave with her even when she knew she was finished. Astonishing.

Look at Wooten’s phrasing about some potential injustice if his replacement doesn’t conform to arbitrary criteria that could define conservatism: “…some expressed concern that my replacement wont be a conservative….those chances are nil….. concerns readers have expressed… that nonconservatives will choose my replacement…..a concern I no longer share…”

He’s repeating himself (and spittin?) to the point of rabidity. Whatever, Wooten. You are a vestige of conservatism, if it existed at all. There is no plausible excuse for your attitudes about Americans, America, or our shared future. You’re a relic of uncommon sense, and an uneasy reminder that even if freedom rings, there are those who would tie the knell to the very tracks the freedom train approaches on.

By Dusty

January 19, 2009 3:04 PM | Link to this

You know what FREE AT LAST? I have been a free American all my life and so has every other living American who was born in this great land of the FREE.

I realize you are celebrating this election but to tie freedom to politics is pretty sad. Too many people have died to keep that freedom. Sorry that you just realized that you are free. I’ve known it as long as I csn remember.

By Dusty

January 19, 2009 3:16 PM | Link to this

PoFo, 2:55

Cut out the excess expenditure of worthless wisdom. We know you would love to be “hired” as the lib-who-made-it-good as a conservative. But, phony conservatives are superfluous. Go back to being entertaining.

Jim Wooten will continue being a fine conservative editor until summer. Then we will have to put up with some bozo trying for the big time. We will put up with Bozo because Jim will encourage us once a week. So there, PoFo. Bug off!

By Redneck Convert

January 19, 2009 4:03 PM | Link to this

Well, it would be just like a bunch of snooty city folk to make Wooten’s replacement have a colledge degree. Everybody knows I never made it out of the 5th grade but it never hurt me none. I’m a pretty good writter and Wooten and me think alike on almost everything. Wooten is the only redneck columnist I ever heard of. But I won’t do it unless I can get rid of a whole bunch of people on this blog that give a bunch of grief. I ain’t mentioning no names but they start with D and AJC and @ and R. Not the small r but the big R.

Anyhow, I think a colledge degree kind of cripples a person that wants to be a conservative. You have to learn to think to get one, and you can see what kind of twisting Raghead has to go thru just to spout his arguments. He’s all bound up like a pretzel or a guy that’s eat too much cheese and that’s why half the time the stuff he writes don’t make sense. It’s a lot easier to be a conservative if your brain ain’t having to wrestle with a bunch of ideas. You can just say you don’t want things to change except maybe go backwards in time.

Anyways, my vote’s for Captain Freedom if he can get God to bring him back from the grave. We might could use some nose clips if the Resurrection ain’t quite perfect. But he would know everything, now that he’s seen both Heaven and Earth. Unlike the people that go to church on Sunday and pray up a storm and claim to know the Truth but forget all about it starting Monday.

I’m real sorry to see Wooten leave full-time newspaper work. He was about the only thing I read in that commie paper the AJC, just like Fox News is the only TV channel I watch. Except sometimes I log in to Bookman’s column to see what the crazies are saying. I even forgive Wooten for calling me worthless one Christmas. I hope the old coot does good on that farm. Have a good day everybody.

By AmVet

January 19, 2009 4:11 PM | Link to this

College degree?

From one of those liberal, commie schools?

All they do is fill up young people’s head with stuff like the Sun being at the center of the Solar System and man-induced global warming.

I prefer a writer like the one Esquire posits: Mann Coulter.

That dude rocks!

Either kill ‘em all or just convert them to the One True Religion…

By getalife

January 19, 2009 4:12 PM | Link to this

Hire Joe the reporter and Jim can be Jim the plumber.

Jim has the experience of working in crap.

By Mac

January 19, 2009 4:16 PM | Link to this

The uncircumcised are not circumspect enough to pen a conservative column.

By Digger

January 19, 2009 4:19 PM | Link to this

Definitely not a college graduate. When I was studying political science at a smallish, four-year public college in Georgia during the Cold War, all the professors were one-world-government advocates. I’m with Redneck Convert, college binds up your brain.

By dave

January 19, 2009 4:35 PM | Link to this

Hey, why a college degree? Look at hannity….what crappy college did he drop out of? I know it was something on PAR with where the likes of Sarah Palin went to school. Hey…she’s PERFECT for this job! She has a closed mind, knows nothing about world afairs and most national affairs here in the lower 48…is one of worlds most famous “talibangelicals”…and more kids than anyone should ever have (plus she and her daughter got knocked up before they got married)….All one needs to do to be a conservative columnist is have a closed mind and poor judgment.

By Glenn

January 19, 2009 5:15 PM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten,

Your challenge to help pick your successor is a melancholy one. We probably could help the Paper to land on a good successor, but no one will find a replacement.

That said, I vote against requiring a college degree. I’ve been what the Ed Trade calls an “anti-credentialist” all my life, and it was my early love of newspapering that brought me to that position. I was a student editor, a cub reporter and a journalism student at just the last moment, about 35 years ago, when newspapers started to get ultra-corporate, dangerously consolidated, and over-reliant upon a stream of young talent with Masters degrees in journalism and something called Communications. Prior to the Advent of The Yuppie, our editors, and most of our best reporters, were people who’d come up the hard way: from copy runner or even print monkey, on up the ranks; or else literally up the ranks, from Basic Training to seasoned veteran of “Stars and Stripes”. Persons who’d taken a pounding, comming up, and who generally were hard to fool in their search for the facts, and hard to dissuade from reporting them.

As the wine-sipping grad students came in, steeped in Krippendorf Content Analysis and pendantic riffing on “The Issue Attention Cycle”, etc., the old craft of newspapering basically went out the window in just a few years. Not many of these wine-sipping, well dressed hotshots could write straight — meaning, without faddishness and self-indulgence — and fewer of them had the fervor to gumshoe a story and really put in the legwork necessary to report news, much less to say something new. That’s when a lot of us decided to move on to other fields. I’m sure you remember.

For purposes of newspapering, a college diploma per se is an exceedingly poor proxy for competence; so, don’t make it prerequisite. If someone happens to have a fine record from a school or program relevant to writing and producing daily, then that’s wonderful. Many writers already on staff at the AJC have loved and studied journalism since they were young, and at least a couple who come to mind do truly outstanding work. But they are not Conservatives or traditionalists.

The “Sheepskin Psychosis” is too facile. You’ll want to have subtler job qualifications. Lincoln, Twain, Mencken didn’t master our language on campuses, and nor can the campuses claim any longer to engender the kind of latitudinarianism that might equip a Conservative columnist to know her enemy, the better to best it.

By deegee

January 19, 2009 5:35 PM | Link to this

I should check in on Fox News tomorrow. They are probably going to have a marathon Ollie North war stories schedule. After all, nothing much going on in the news.

By @@

January 19, 2009 5:48 PM | Link to this

(((Jim has the experience of working in crap.)))

Dang Getalife! Did you just call the AJC crap?

By Glenn

January 19, 2009 5:52 PM | Link to this

As a practical matter, if you’re just going to require a college degree, then perforce that means an undergraduate degree, and that no longer means much (if anything) in newspapering. Once they’re were a handful of campuses, UGA chief among them, willing to grant such a diploma, and in those days it meant something. These days, and notwithstanding the problem of “degree deflation”, such a sheepskin is so thin it’s vellum. If the AJC wants a next-generation Wooten whose worth is proved in part through parchment, that’s mighty thin reasoning.

A Bachelor of Engineering knows engineering, a Bachelor of Chemistry knows Chemistry, a Bachelor of Music is a musician, but a Bachelor of Communications is a bachelor. So what we’re really talking about here is court snobbery within the AJC: the usual gang of clubby snobs who want to make sure that the next prospective Conservative columnist has experienced at least one forced march before the likes of Bill Ayers, Ward Churchill or the idiot lawyer who runs Columbia University for the time being. Chances are that, had the AJC job candidate majored in Journalism or “Communications”, the candidate would have run a full phallanx of such rubes.

By BUH BYE, President Chimpy Pants!

January 20, 2009 8:09 AM | Link to this

Na na na na… Na na na naaaaa…. HEYY HEEEYYYYYYYYYYY! Good-bye! Na na na na… Na na na naaaaa…. HEYY HEEEYYYYYYYYYYY! Good-bye! EVERYBODY SING! Na na na na… Na na na naaaaa…. HEYY HEEEYYYYYYYYYYY! Good-bye! Na na na na… Na na na naaaaa…. HEYY HEEEYYYYYYYYYYY! Good-bye! Na na na na… Na na na naaaaa…. HEYY HEEEYYYYYYYYYYY! Good-bye!

By Copyleft

January 20, 2009 8:13 AM | Link to this

Better squeeze in your last bitter, hateful complaints about Obama within the next four hours, fascists.

After noon today, any criticism of the President is proof that you hate America and don’t support our troops. Get ready for eight fun-filled years of petard-hoisting!

By Bill Shipp

January 20, 2009 8:19 AM | Link to this

The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president today marks the beginning of new era in American politics. Obama stands as a giant symbol that the nation’s door of opportunity is wide open to anyone of any race to rise to any height.

In addition, Obama is riding a wave of high expectations in a country fatigued by eight years of George W. Bush’s presidency and a daunting set of economic and international problems.

If someone had told me in 1962 in the midst of the riot on the Ole Miss campus, or even this time last year, that America would elect a black president early in the 21st century, I would have laughed. I never thought I would live to see someone like Obama take the presidential oath. Today is a day I hope we can remember with pride for the remainder of our history.

On a more practical level, what does the dawning Obama presidency mean for us Georgians? At a time when the incoming president is planning massive use of the federal treasury to jump-start the moribund American economy, how does Georgia compare to the other 49 states in its ability to attract needed help from the Obama administration?

The sad answer is that Georgia is in a weaker position with the incoming president than it has been with any president since Ronald Reagan ousted favorite son Jimmy Carter from the White House in 1980.

Part of the reason: Georgia voters awarded our 15 electoral votes to defeated Republican nominee John McCain, but that’s just the beginning. Several other states that Obama lost are doubtless in a better position to interact with the new president than we Georgians, thanks to Georgia officialdom’s openly hostile attitude toward Obama. No other state seems as mad at the new president.

We have few people positioned to influence the White House on our behalf. Obama’s go-to guys in Georgia are an obscure state senator, David Adelman, D-DeKalb, and Dan Halpern, confidant of the late Maynard Jackson.

In the 1990s Georgia was in a better position to influence President Bill Clinton than almost any other state, except his native Arkansas. Then-Gov. Zell Miller had done more to help Clinton than virtually any other elected official in America. Many other Georgians - elected officials and private citizens - went to bat for Clinton.

Our state’s close ties to the Clinton administration paid off with major federal help in staging the 1996 Olympics and other important projects. Georgia’s military bases were protected during multiple rounds of closings in part because of the Georgia-Clinton relationship.

When Bush was elected in 2000, many Georgians still were in the right place to deal with the federal administration. Political consultant Ralph Reed had played a key role in the Bush election. Several other Georgians had close personal and political ties to Bush. At the beginning of Bush’s tenure, Georgia had a leg up on landing federal projects. The Peach State had the opportunity to showcase itself at Sea Island when Bush hosted the G-8 summit of world leaders.

In sharp contrast to our hospitable manner toward Clinton and Bush, several of our prominent elected officials already have formed an anti-Obama bloc. Gov. Sonny Perdue taunted Obama for deciding to spend money to compete for Georgia’s electoral votes in last year’s election. The Republican majority in our congressional delegation, including underachieving Sens. Chambliss and Isakson, strongly opposed Obama. A politically connected Atlanta law firm, whose members once included many Clinton loyalists, now is strongly identified with the Republican Party.

Even our Democratic elected officials’ ties to Obama are unlikely to bear fruit. While some Georgia Democratic congressmen endorsed him, none are prominent enough to command the attention of the White House or congressional leadership. Our three statewide Democratic elected officials endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton against Obama in the primary. State Rep. Calvin Smyre has strong national party credentials and connections, including with the new prez, but was for Clinton during the primaries. Civil rights icon John Lewis, an Atlanta congressman, backed Sen. Clinton until his arm was twisted to change to Obama.

All in all, Georgians’ political choices have put our state on the outside looking in as Congress and President Obama hammer out the biggest economic rescue and spending package in world history.

I hope nothing will confront Georgia during the next four years that requires massive federal assistance. Otherwise, we may find out that Obama is as interested in helping us with our problems as we were in helping him when he ran for president last year.

By Mort Merkel

January 20, 2009 8:54 AM | Link to this

It’s dang near 9 a.m. Bookman posted at 6:34 a.m. and Wooten’s still sleeping. Short timer.

By Mac

January 20, 2009 9:01 AM | Link to this

Don’t look now, Mr. Shipp, but while the rest of Georgia is in a recession, Northwest Georgia’s carpet country is in a depression. We need some CCC Camp work up this way.

By ron

January 20, 2009 9:12 AM | Link to this

Bookman’s post and Jim’s non-post are of equal value.

By Disgusted

January 20, 2009 9:25 AM | Link to this

When do the tax increases for Ragnut, AJC Communist, and ron kick in?

By getalife

January 20, 2009 9:29 AM | Link to this

At last, it is over and w is history.

This is a great day in American history.

God bless the Obamas and the Clinton team to clean up another bush mess again.

By hogleg

January 20, 2009 9:29 AM | Link to this

if cynthia tucker is involved in the choosing expect a boot licking moderate.

By The Conservative

January 20, 2009 9:44 AM | Link to this

Carpet Campus of Dalton! That’s where I got my journalism degree!

Bill Shipp left out a cliche or two. SO Georgia is a red state that burned most of it’s bridges with the white house? Didn’t know that..

Wine-sipping? Glenn uses that word alot. I dont think it means what he thinks it means. He writes this inscrutable blither for three years and then he overshares for the cattle call. Trust me on this one, glenn: Your ship sailed over the kookoo’s nest a long long time ago.

Obama never said anything of substance during his campaign. His stump style will be studied for generations. Platform 101: Dont commit to anything. Dont say anything definite. Get writers.

“We’re Gonna….We’re gonna….We’re gonna…Bring an end to the war in Iraq…..ending the Iraq War….Bring our troops home…” is wide open, people. I noticed that he spoke generibonics when I first heard him speak, eighteen months ago. I blogged about it, but of course it went over everyone’s head here, so I dumbed it down, and it still didn’t make an impression, so I switched to shadow puppets and used cartoon voices. Hey. He dont say nuthin. He’s just lovable. that’s all.

The conservatives missed the boat when they used reverse psychology and started labeling Obama the chosen one, or the messiah, etc. Reverse Psychology only works when your forbidding catholic chicks to have sex. (Thank you Pope John the 23rd.)

Ah, the seventies were great, folks, I remember this one time, at the Sorority Picnic……

I’ve got the sharpest pencil in the class when it comes to keeping Obama in line. That’s why I’m the best choice for the new Conservative.

Conservatism: It’s what America does when it’s not bein’ liberal.

By deegee

January 20, 2009 9:48 AM | Link to this

JW is watching rented movies all day today. Not much going on in the news.

By Peter

January 20, 2009 9:51 AM | Link to this

Jim taking a day off ?

Well American’s can cheer, as “Faulty Intelligence” is GONE !

God Save America, we need all the help we can to get out of YET ANOTHER BUSH whacking !

By Dusty

January 20, 2009 10:01 AM | Link to this

NO,POFO THE NON-CONSERVATIVE, YOU AINT IT!

By Redneck Convert

January 20, 2009 10:04 AM | Link to this

Well, I see they are still recalling things made with peanut butter. The good old boys down at Blakely, GA say it ain’t their fault. If the co. furnished enough bathrooms and give enough breaks there wouldn’t be no germs in the peanut butter.

It’s been hard to get work in today. Every time I walk into a store to deliver beer the TV is going on about this Obama and I got to turn my back to it. The hardest part was learning they give this n** the codes to the A-bombs already. If I was living down around Crawford, Texas it’s for sure I’d skedaddle out of there before Obama decides to do a little practicing.

And right after I learnt Cheney is in a wheelchair on account of lifting some boxes I almost got into a fight with a guy that wanted to know whether you could hang a guy in a wheelchair.

Anyhow, it’s a dark, dark day in this country. Have a good day everybody.

By gafarmer

January 20, 2009 10:10 AM | Link to this

Most of us refuse to be the token conservative in a liberal financially challenged kennel.

By ron

January 20, 2009 10:22 AM | Link to this

Dear Disgusted,Tax increases will be here soon enough for all of us.Don’t encourage them .

Who kicks it off today,The Gay Bishop?Good way to unite is to start with a divider.Followed by The Muslim With Questionable Ties.I don’t have tv so I’m going to miss it all.So sad.Too bad.I couldn’t imagine being in Washington today.There won’t be room to stand.

I came across a poll today asking whether you were going to the Inauguration and the only check box was “yes”.Sign of things to come? “One hundred percent of the respondants to a recent poll said they were going to Obama’s inauguration.This sets a modern day record”.You’ll read about it in Bookman’s blog.

The Muslims of the world are hoping that Obama will not side with Israel but with them.They are waiting to find out.

Dear Dusy,Good to see you up and about this fine morning.Day off?

Finally read Bill Shipp this morning.He has valid points.All the black vote in the South did not help Obama.Hear that,Cynthia?Your vote didn’t count.Neither did Maureen’s.All the endorsing for naught.

By Terrill

January 20, 2009 10:25 AM | Link to this

Hey Wooten! put in a good word for a black conservative columnist, would you?

shirley, god knows our minds are being wasted at the feet of democrats and that is a terrible thing.

By RealityKing

January 20, 2009 10:36 AM | Link to this

The AJC is going under next year if Obama and his drunken band of mindless liberals doesn’t bailout the newspapers too…, good for you Jim.

By The Conservative

January 20, 2009 10:54 AM | Link to this

On this in-inn-innauguration day, (dang it, I cant spell inauguration dday), the millions of voters who traveled to washington dc are there of course to see if Jeff Gordon crashes, and then there’s the souveniers, but mostly, it’s to party. Why Obama? How Obama? Historians kept blaming “timing” for the success of the beatles in the sixties. The timing was right for new escapism after JFK.

Well, I’m blaming “timing” for Obama’s success. Under Bush, folks felt so unempowered that voting for Obama was like the first step in a journey back to personal control of their lives. 911 made us spectators in our own country as the news got worse, and the widening war was explained as not just the battle of the trade towers, but as some global manifest destiny of carte blanche presidential perogative summed up in two words: “Harbor Terrorists”.

Well, hell, the USA “Harbored Terrorists” if you count the sleeper cells pre 911. Whatever happened to all the sleeper cells? There had to be more. Also, there were 911 hijackers who were stopped cold at the baggage curb and who abandoned their car, and “ran away”. How do you “run away” from cops at an airport? Remember that car and it’s occupants?

What the hell happened to that car? and all that evidence inside the car? did the 911 report even mention them? The only profiling I heard was from the dancers in the strip club, where the terrorists spent one evening just before the attack.

Are people so sick of the war on terror, that nobody has the will to research or investigate anything. I know I dont. (I got my journalism degree from the carpet campus of dalton, you know.)

Conservatism: It’s not just for parades anymore.

ONe more thing. Cheney was interviewed last week on PBS. He cited several post-911 plots that he intercepted by using “controversial interviewing techniques”. He couldn’t elaborate because the intel was classified. (the interviewing techniques were kept under water too). I’d bet my farm Cheney is lying. (if i had a farm. I’d bet my carpet campus of dalton degree for sure).

Anyway, Cheney even mentioned the meeting between Al Queda Operatives and Saddam Hussein’s agent in Casablanca at Rick’s Cafe. Remember that? He’s never given up on that justification for the trillion dollar war in Iraq.

Quiz: How much has the Afghanistan War cost since 911? Guesstimate: We have about 20 percent of the troops in Afghanistan as Iraq. So, the cost should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 billion.

Conservatism: Reagan coulda told us what it is, but he couldn’t recall. Did we have a non compos mentis president in 1987-1988. Remember that guy that rushed the stage Reagan was speaking on, and broke that pitcher of water on the podium? Remember the blank stare and non reaction Reagan gave him. Our first lame duck just stood there, as if to ask, “George Burns put you up to this, didn’t he?”

Conservatism: McCain kept talkin’ ‘bout Teddy Roosevelt. Do you have to go back that far to find it? If so, in today’s world, we’re gonna need a bigger stick.

Lets all help each other to find Conservatism. What is it? Where is it? When was America last conservative? (and dont point to small government, low taxes, strong defense, or right to life either. Those issues are dead to voters, obviously.)

What is it about conservatism that can get people to vote for it? a good five cent cigar? planes arriving on time? law and order?

BINGO! Law, and order! It’s the crime, stupid.

Conservativism: We’re gonna need a bigger stick.