Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.insight From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE;STOP THE PRESSIES Date: Mon, 23 Nov 92 11:35:36 EST Message-ID: \SE FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE;STOP THE PRESSIES \BY INSIGHT *****On Hold. Andrew Hacker, a white sociologist mind you, is the latest expert on black authenticity. Participating in a roundtable discussion reported in the November Essence, Hacker, the author of Two Nations: Black and White, Separate, Hostile, Unequal, explained that Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had to act white to succeed in the military. Hacker said, "He put 99 percent of himself, or his black self, on hold, in the back, because he was ambitious, wanted to get ahead, and did." *****Double Take. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Marjorie Williams of Vanity Fair has reason to feel profoundly flattered by a recent Sidney Blumenthal article in the New Republic. Compare Williams's October profile of James Baker with Blumenthal's portrait of the same gentleman in November: Williams: Baker was born into the top rung of Houston's aristocracy. He is the fourth in a line of James Addison Bakers. . . . The family gave its name to the powerful Houston law firm of Baker & Botts, said to be the second-oldest firm west of the Mississippi. . . . The chief injunction handed down by his grandfather was "work hard, study, and keep out of politics." Blumenthal: "Work hard, study, and keep out of politics." This was the admonition of Baker's grandfather to the young lawyers in his Houston firm, Baker & Botts, the second oldest west of the Mississippi. James Baker is the latest in a long line of James Bakers - down to his great-grandfather, the founder of the firm. The Bakers, who have cultivated starchy patrician values, are the aristocracy in Houston. Williams: The [Republican political consultant who has campaigned with Baker and George Bush] says, "Baker's a guy who looks in the mirror and says, 'Jim, you're much smarter than Bush, there's no doubt about that; you're much richer than Bush, there's no doubt about that. And I think you're better-looking. How come you're not president?' " Blumenthal: "Every morning," said a Republican political consultant who has worked with Baker on four presidential campaigns, "Jim Baker looks in the mirror and says, 'You're better looking than George Bush. You're smarter. Why aren't you president?' " *****DO YOU KNOW OF: * A shocking waste of taxpayer money? * A wacky college course or professor? * An instance of revealing media arrogance? * A public utterance better never uttered? * A ridiculous case of hype? * A lawyer or lawsuit run amok? Let us hear about it. The first contributors of published items will receive a handsome memento depicting the Insight Public Defender. Write to: Insight, For the People, By the People, 3600 New York Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002. Or better still, fax us: (202) 529-2484. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM