qotd, history just goes 'round and 'round
August 22, 2008
"So, spare a thought for the millions of Americans who are watching the White House with shame, anger and revulsion. Because they are currently in an unenviable position, and one that Britain has been in before. Thank goodness the worst days of the British Empire were not played out in front of a technologically advanced world media. Is anyone else glad that the Amritsar massacre is only recorded in watercolour? And that a press secretary in a handlebar moustache did not stand in front of a podium of microphones and attempt to justify it? Let’s remember, the White House is only white because we set fire to the previous version in 1812 – which thankfully was not streamed live at the time on CNN."
-- The Daily Show's John Oliver in The Daily Telegraph (U.K.)
So nice to get a perspective from a country with (a) lots of history and (b) a very dry sense of humor.
Posted by: Elizabeth | August 23, 2008 at 10:24 AM
This is from his show--you can see it on YouTubs somewhere. This computer is really slow, otherwise I'd look it up for you. Funny either way.
Posted by: Anna | August 23, 2008 at 04:57 PM
It's an excellent point. Reading world history with the kids, we've learned about leaders of yore who make Bush look like an evil-despot wannabe by comparison. Doesn't make the current situation any less awful, but it does provide a useful, if grim, perspective.
Posted by: Casey | August 24, 2008 at 09:50 PM
Sometimes it's the perspective that keeps you off the bridge...
And, yeah, I think this might be from his special, which I watched, because I have a big ol' Oliver crush.
Posted by: Adrienne | August 25, 2008 at 11:33 AM