March 5, 2005 by s.z.

Who Said It?

1.  Our first Mystery Guest from last time (the one who explained how Puritans were apparently against recycling) was John Tierney.

Bistroist quickly identified him, and wins this paragraph from an Editor and Publisher piece about Tierney, the NYT's replacement for Bill Safire:

Some liberals and media critics have long faulted Tierney, however, for a tendency to acknowledge only the evidence that supports his preconceived positions. "On several occasions, writing for the Times magazine, for his column, and in other parts of the paper, he's advanced arguments in ways that border on outright intellectual dishonesty," Zach Roth of Columbia Journalism Review wrote in December, "either by willfully ignoring major sides of the debate, or by flouting basic journalistic norms whose observance might weaken his case."

2.  Our second guest (the one who said that there is "no such thing" as separation as church and state) was Tom DeLay. 

Bistroist identified him too, and wins this quote about DeLay:

Edd Hendee, who owns the Taste of Texas restaurant in Houston, teaches a Bible study that DeLay attends at a local Baptist church, and said the other members love to tease the big shot. “Like they’ll have the top 10 reasons not to be late to class: ‘You don’t want to walk in with Congressman DeLay and have his two thugs frisk you outside,’ ” Hendee said. “It’s a hoot. He’ll shoot back something like, ‘I can arrange a private frisking for you.’ ”

Um, okay.

3.  Anyway, our third Mystery Guest (the one who revealed that a preacher might have to accept corperate sponsorship if he wants to run a megachurch) was Armstrong Williams.   

john b identified him, and wins Armstrong (who can be purchased at very reasonable rates these days).

Thanks to Captain Salty for suggesting Armstrong.  The Captain especially liked this quote from Armstrong's piece: "You might be amazed at how little it takes to rent space in a sermon."

Realist was the first to name all three of our Mystery Guests in one comment, and so wins, um, these two recommendations of Doug Giles:

"Doug Giles is awesome and eloquent."
- Congresswoman Katherine Harris

Giles confronts liberals and their lunacy in the same way I hunt Africa's most dangerous game; namely, without fear and with great joy!
- Mark Sullivan, Professional Hunter

Now, Who Said This?

1.  I like doing this, by the way - I like going around the country, saying, 'Folks, we have got a problem.'

2. It would be hard to imagine a better friend to Al Qaeda and other terrorist outfits than the American Civil Liberties Union.

3.  From the intro of his new, not-selling-that great, book:

I have received both praise and criticism for what I have done, and some have even distorted or dismissed the true issue, but my full story remains untold. This book is not only about my life; it is about the importance of the public recognition of the sovereignty of God. 

4.   I saved SpongeBob's reputation. SpongeBob's my best friend now.

5.   So an increase in the marginal tax rates will let women regard motherhood as something more like a joy. Presumably this means that money extracted from the very people she talks about in her article – high-buck Yups on the Eastern Seaboard feeling the stabby knives of guilt – will be directly dispensed to stressed out women in Omaha, who will use it . . . for what? Quality child care that obviates the need to come up with magical mommy moments on their own? Is the author actually suggesting that repealing the tax cuts will stop mothers from getting insane over coordinated felt? That some would toss and turn over something some biatchy mom had said, but comfort herself with the knowledge that some couple in Boston was paying 38% on those last few dollars of income? 

12:50:40 AM