Moore-on
Okay, I'm sorry, but this is just stupid.
Michael Moore released an excerpt from an interview with top pick for CIA Director, Porter Goss, in which Goss is quoted as saying the following:
"I couldn't get a job with CIA today. I am not qualified," the Florida Republican told documentary-maker Michael Moore's production company during the filming of the anti-Bush movie "Fahrenheit 9/11."
...snip...
"I don't have the language skills. I, you know, my language skills were romance languages and stuff. We're looking for Arabists today. I don't have the cultural background probably," Goss is quoted in an interview transcript.
Goss did work with CIA clandestine services in the 1960s. Obviously what he's saying is that he couldn't get a job as a field operative in the CIA today. Well, duh. He's not being nominated to serve clandestinely. If he becomes the next CIA Director, it will be broadly public knowledge. There won't be a damn clandestine thing about it. I would think it would be fairly obvious that the qualifications for being a clandestine operative and CIA Director are pretty different. Personally, I don't know whether Goss is qualified or not. What I do know is that none of what he said is relevant to that question.
Look, I know Moore was only trying to make a joke by throwing the guy's words back at him and that he has other reasons for criticizing Goss. But it's a stupid and annoying joke. So I'm annoyed now. Phooey.
Comments
One the other hand Gross was the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee for the last ten years, now in light of the fact that the intelligence community is getting a lot of the blame for the 9/11 failures doesn’t it seem strange that the guy who chaired the house committee that is supposed to keep tabs on the CIA and intelligence in general is getting the nod to run the place?
Posted by: Rick DeMent | August 12, 2004 10:32 PM
Yeah, see that's a reasonable criticism of Goss as a choice. It's neither stupid nor annoying.
Posted by: Lesley | August 12, 2004 11:26 PM
Damn and you know how much I like to be, at the very least, annoying. [grin]
Posted by: Rick DeMent | August 13, 2004 08:24 AM
Like I said. Peevish.
Posted by: Just John | August 13, 2004 02:31 PM
Well, we all have our pet peeves. This kind of willful misinterpretation of someone's words is among mine. I read these kinds of things or hear them and think "Aaargh! You know what he/she really meant! Cut it out!" Drives me nuts.
Posted by: Lesley | August 13, 2004 04:34 PM
Well, you can call me stupid. I read this yesterday, and got your point with no problem. But I just figured out the play on words -- Moore-on/moron. Oh well, you know who the punsters in the family are -- and I'm not one.
Posted by: Mom | August 13, 2004 07:32 PM