That Donald Rumsfeld is a Stand Up Guy – Speech-Less #3
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Because Donald Rumsfeld had a “stand up” desk. Ha ha. Okay. Not funny. I’ll stick with reading and let the professionals supply the jokes. Chapters 4 and 5 describe Matt Latimer’s time working as the head speechwriter for Rumsfeld, and he paints his boss as a much better human being than the one described in the media.
Of course, he largely blames the “liberal media” for this, which I think is ridiculous, since he also goes into extreme detail about how inept the Pentagon press department was (and is – he explains that many of the same people are probably still there today, sitting around wasting taxpayer money). Personally, I think there is a large component of the media that makes everybody look as bad as possible – negative stories are exaggerated and positive ones are few and far between. As far as being liberal or conservative, we are so polarized as a nation, and media reflects this. Thanks to the Internet, pundits on either side have a platform where they can display their vitriol for “the other side.” I think the truth, with regard to people from either side of the political fence, is probably somewhere in the middle.
Latimer describes a time when reporter, Bob Woodward, interviewed Rumsfeld for a book he was writing: Early in the interview, Rumsfeld said, “I’m not the kind of guy who is going to say bad things about my colleagues.” I tend to believe that the eventual book, State of Denial, which depicts Rumsfeld in a very unfavorable light, is somewhat unfair and sensationalized. At the same time, saying bad things about one’s colleagues sells books and makes for interesting press. Just ask Matt Latimer – I would be cringing were I some of the staffers he describes in this memoir!
Other posts about Speech-less:
Post 1: Speech-less, by Matt Latimer
Post 2: I Laughed Until I Cried
Post 3: The Donald Rumsfeld is a Stand Up Guy
Post 4: I Miss President Bartlet
Post 5: Ninety-One Books in Six Months
