Things People Say, Part 3

A good entry--though not by me--for my nascent series on "things people say" that just aren't true. In this case, Paul Waldman of TAPPED eviscerates one ever-popular cliche of American politico-speak that contains very, very little truth:

It's a wonderful thing that in our country, a person born to modest circumstances can rise to become a political leader, governor of a state and perhaps even president. But the idea that this is possible "only in America" is just ridiculous.

Actually I remember an anecdote from years ago that put to rest for me this "only in America" nonsense. It was a little Talk of the Town item in The New Yorker in which one Gothamite asked another what all the commotion on the street was about.

"It's a visit from the Lord Mayor of Dublin. He's Jewish, you know." With a self-satisfied smile, the other New Yorker replied, "Ah! Only in America!"

P.S. Mary-Jo and I are still touring Italy, which is why the blogging has been so sparse lately . . . Today we visited Rome's beautiful Borghese gardens, which are the city's equivalent of Central Park, containing art galleries, playgrounds, a zoo, etc. etc. They also include paths named after Americans and other citizens of the world ranging from Washington to Fiorello LaGuardia. I am praying they won't one day find it advisable to name a road after President Rudolph Giuliani.