don't see this
There's a great piece today on Bob Somerby's site about Senator Frist and his faux humility. (I tend to think that Frist is a good person, but calling the press after saving the people in Florida wasn't necessary. I'm sure someone would've tracked him down regardless and given him even more airtime had he not done so.) The piece is well worth reading. Here's a choice excerpt:
How humble is Frist? He's not unlike Christ-if you're listening to Frist's cued biographers. In the second paragraph of his Standard profile, Brooks relates stories from three Frist admirers. Somehow, the scribe managed to track down a Tennessee trio who had been floored by the sanctified sawbones:
BROOKS: Aware that Bill Frist spent some summers on Nantucket, a school principal wrote him a letter asking what he should see on his upcoming visit. Senator Frist wrote back a 40-page letter describing the history and ecology of the island, and the sights that should not be missed. A weary mom was trying to lug some papers on an airplane. Frist noticed her plight and not only carried them on for her, he waited while the plane was unloading so he could carry them off for her as well. On one memorable day during a tour of Israel, Senator Frist stood on the spot where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount and read the sermon to the tour group. He electrified them with his simple faith and devotion.
Did David Brooks find these people in passing? Or was he referred to these people by Frist's staff? His article provides no way of knowing. But would any pol except Bill Frist traffic in tales like that last jaw-dropper-a tale in which the humble Frist is compared to Jesus himself? (On the Mount!) You'd really have to be a kook to spread a story like that around-but it fits right into the standard Frist bio. (By the way, what other solon would even dream of reciting the Sermon to tourists?) But then, weirdo tales pop up with Frist all the time-although scribes like Brooks know not to notice. For example, who writes forty-page letters to total strangers about sights you just simply miss on Nantucket? Nice guys write forty-page letters to strangers, Brooks has agreed to pretend. A great mid-day diversion, to be sure. And it covers some administration malfeasance as well. I highly recommend it.
posted at: 2003-02-04 13:06:34 with 0 commentsBROOKS: Aware that Bill Frist spent some summers on Nantucket, a school principal wrote him a letter asking what he should see on his upcoming visit. Senator Frist wrote back a 40-page letter describing the history and ecology of the island, and the sights that should not be missed. A weary mom was trying to lug some papers on an airplane. Frist noticed her plight and not only carried them on for her, he waited while the plane was unloading so he could carry them off for her as well. On one memorable day during a tour of Israel, Senator Frist stood on the spot where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount and read the sermon to the tour group. He electrified them with his simple faith and devotion.
Did David Brooks find these people in passing? Or was he referred to these people by Frist's staff? His article provides no way of knowing. But would any pol except Bill Frist traffic in tales like that last jaw-dropper-a tale in which the humble Frist is compared to Jesus himself? (On the Mount!) You'd really have to be a kook to spread a story like that around-but it fits right into the standard Frist bio. (By the way, what other solon would even dream of reciting the Sermon to tourists?) But then, weirdo tales pop up with Frist all the time-although scribes like Brooks know not to notice. For example, who writes forty-page letters to total strangers about sights you just simply miss on Nantucket? Nice guys write forty-page letters to strangers, Brooks has agreed to pretend. A great mid-day diversion, to be sure. And it covers some administration malfeasance as well. I highly recommend it.
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