The only time I watch Larry King is when he has Bill Maher on his show. Once again, Bill hits the nail on the head on what is fundalmentally wrong with the Bush Administration. The following is a short exerpt, but the
whole thing is worth reading. The caller asks about Global Warming, and that provides a nice segue into the hubris of Bush.
KING: Toronto, hello?
CALLER: Hello. I have a question for Bill. I would like to know what his response would to be the American ambassador saying that Canada was headed down a slippery slope because of all the constant criticism from Canada vis-a-vis U.S. policy, especially Paul Martin lately saying that America was ignoring the global conscience, vis-a- vis global warming.
MAHER: I think America needs to hear more of that. I think America's big problem, and I bet you most Canadians would agree with this, is that America needs to get over itself...
MAHER CONTINUED: Really. I mean, this nonsense I hear constantly coming out of Americans about, it's the greatest country in the world. First of all, how would you know it was the greatest country in the world? Have you done a study of the health care program in Denmark compared to ours? Or the tax program? No, you haven't. You're just saying that. You're just pulling it out of your behind. It's so silly and it's so childish to have to be the greatest country.
Maybe it's just the greatest for us. I'm not moving anywhere. I like it here, but to say it's the greatest country in the world -- it's like saying, I have the greatest wife in the world. Not just the greatest for me, but everybody else. If everybody else could get rid of their wife and have my wife, they would do it in a second! Because I've got the greatest wife in the world! It's silly. It's childish, and it leads us to bad places when you have that kind of hubris.
KING: Supernationalism?
MAHER: Yes, and that certitude, I mean, this administration, which I'm sorry to say, I know you don't like to talk about this, but only comes from a religious background when you are that sure of things. What does that lead to when you are so sure of yourself? When you are so sure that everything comes from God? Well, it leads to smear campaigns. It leads to outing CIA agents. It leads to torture. It leads, in other words, to anything where you can justify that the ends justify the means, because you know you're right. You're starting off with the premise, I'm pure and I got it from God.
Teddy Roosevelt said, "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public official save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country."
It's time to join the global community.