I like some of his books but I think it is fair to say that Gore Vidal is the prototypical self-loathing liberal American. Republicans sometimes call this the “Blame America First” phenomenon, but that was never really accurate. For example, Hunter S. Thompson didn’t blame America first. He worshipped and respected our freedoms. He even abused them. But he also understood our violent nature. Vidal is no different. Not really. Michele Bachmann is right. Vidal is snotty.
And consider that Thompson came from nothing but never would have considered exile. Vidal’s father was an All-American quarterback at West Point and his grandfather was a U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. He went to St. Albans and Sidwell Friends. He had every advantage and he turned up his nose at the whole spectacle. I understand why someone like Michele Bachmann would want to puke after being exposed to Vidal’s sanctimonious condescension.
But Messiah is fun. It’s worth a read.
He’ll also turn you liberal. Well, not really, he didn’t turn me liberal. He did get me really involved in politics, though; so did Howard Zinn.
One would think Atlas Shrugged would turn one into a liberal, but it makes Paul Ryan and Gary Johnson get on their knees and praise the rape glorifier.
Vidal’s not snotty. He only appears that way because he’s so sick of having nobody to talk to but idiots.
Criticizing Gore Vidal on this level is inane. It’s not worthy of your blog. Gore Vidal would probably be the last to deny that he has his obnoxious ways, too, like everyone including you and myself. His choice to live in Italy was his business, his privileged upbringing was his luck. At least he accomplished something besides realizing the joys of war and impoverishing people the way so many people who enjoy great privilege have done and still do: think of Mr. G.W. Bush of the repugnant party to which Bachmann pays her insufferable allegiance. Hunter Thompson was a different person and mind; the two bear very little resemblance. So what’s the point of comparing them? To say one is better than the other? To be clear, Gore Vidal is indeed snotty and why not? He was a match for William Buckley. Gore Vidal accomplished much.
Talking about Burr, Vidal and Bachmann:
Daily Kos ”’Burr” permanently stuck up Michele Bachmann’s butt’, by Seneca Doane.
That is an excellent diary.
One summer in college I read every book Gore had written. With one exception they were all great fun, and they were a useful antidote for my young and naive idealism. I continued to read each book almost the moment they came out.
Until Empire. The idea that FDR had somehow lured the Japanese into attacking us was simply conspiracy theory nonsense of the worst kind. I have since learned he is prone to that sort of thing. I never took him seriously as a political writer even before Empire. He has always been a proud member of the Chomsky left that is so alienated from their country. But after Empire I couldn’t take his books seriously, either.
Messiah is a strange book, but as you write, lots of fun. If you haven’t read it Creation is a lot of fun as well.
seems to me that being “alienated from one’s country” and being “self-loathing” are two distinctly different things. I love my country tho I often feel alienated from it and its violent values. That hardly makes me self-loathing.
I find Vidal to be smarmy and snotty, but very insightful. loved his book “Dreaming War” on Iraq.
I’m really surprised at you for making an anti-intellectual slur by calling Vidal “snotty.” Bachmann is an idiot. I wonder why she didn’t spin back around to the middle when exposed to the writings and persona of William F. Buckley? He was mighty “snotty,” too.
…he turned up his nose at the whole spectacle.
You know, if I’d had the money I’d have left this country when the criminal, Nixon, was re-elected. When the demented puppet, Reagan, was re-elected, I did leave! All things considered, I wish I’d never come back. Hell, if I had money now I’d get the fuck out of this house of cards so fast… I might enjoy the spectacle of the decline of the American Empire–down my snotty nose–from the sunny coast of France or the rocky frigid shores of Nova Scotia! Any other civilized country where I didn’t have to worry about dying in abject poverty!
And you want to use Thompson as an example of someone who what–loved America/his guns and stood his ground? He friggin’ blew his brains out! To spare himself the indignity and his family the expense of a prolonged terminal illness… a fine example for us all…
shorter booman: “wealthy liberals have no right to criticize”.
longer BooMan: Gore Vidal is an insufferable ass who could make anyone hate the left.
He says in this article that JFK “wrecked his chances with the Bay of Pigs and Suez crises.” But the Suez Crisis happened years before Kennedy became present.
Honestly, how can he pose as an intellectual when he can’t even get basic historical facts right?
I have no idea what GV was referring to either, but he’s been fairly regularly bashing the Kennedys, especially RFK, ever since he was allegedly booted out of the Kennedy WH by Bobby after the latter thought a somewhat sloshed Vidal was being a little too friendly with Jackie.
A very snide provocateur and contrarian, Vidal, who was once a high-profile media intellectual, one of a handful or so who in the 60s and 70s made hundreds of tv and radio appearances back when these types were more a part of the public discussion. Iconoclast Vidal showed up to entertain and provoke usually by saying something wittily outrageous and over the top in his cynical way. Sometimes he was on the mark and spoke an essential truth, other times (as with the Kennedy remarks) he looked petty, cruel and way off base.
Gore Vidal never went to college. His research is spotty. And he poses as an intellectual. Yes, a snobby intellectual.
Not a fan of his, but The Best Man is a lot of fun.
I wouldn’t hold lack of a college education against him, and though he was never a scholar or careful historian and a reader or listener would be foolish to take what he said without first verifying, he probably could be rightly considered nevertheless to be an intellectual, and one who did fair battle with the top public thinkers of the day.
Clever though often mean-spirited fellow — very uncharitable and unliberal like personality — and a world-class name-dropper.
He was a worthy opponent in 1968 to WF Buckley in ABC’s late-night party convention wrap-up show, which was one-of-a-kind tv and has never, afaik, ever been repeated, probably because of the heated exchanges and lawsuits it produced.
Can the Vidal/Buckley exchange be seen online?