Sycophant, “3. A mean, servile, cringing, or abject flatterer; a parasite, toady, lickspittle.” OED 2d ed. 1989.
Today’s example comes from Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. A couple of days ago, in a speech, he said this of President Barack Hussein Obama (emphasis mine):
This is the first president that actually writes his own books since Teddy Roosevelt and arguably the first to write them really well since Lincoln. If you accept the premise, and I do, that the United States is the most powerful country in the world, then Barack Obama is the most powerful writer since Julius Caesar. That has to be good for American artists.
Scott Johnson over at Powerline Blog has the most awesome take down. My favorite was one wag who asked if the comparison to Caesar included taking a Republic into dictatorship. Besides the breathtaking ignorance of the above paragraph — it is a textbook example of a sycophant. I hope he cleaned up afterwards.
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Heh. Lickspittle.
I knew there was something seriously wrong there, and I’m embarrassed that I didn’t come up with U.S. Grant on my own. Honestly, if you’re interested in American history, you should read Grant’s memoirs. He wrote like he fought–go straight to the point and don’t mess around. Highly atypical of Victorian writing, but perfect for the modern reader.
The man could only do two things in the world–win a war and write books. Sadly, he spent too much time doing other things.
Now Lars that isn’t fair. Grant was a spectacular drinker.
I’m waiting for some libtard to compare Obama to Jesus, I know it’s highly unlikely given that they detest Christianity.
It seems impossible to come to a final determination on Grant’s alcoholism, but the best authorities I’ve consulted suggest that his problem was probably not addiction, but low tolerance. One slug would put him under the table.
Verukct,
“I’m waiting for some libtard to compare Obama to Jesus”
That has probably already happened.
Nice Powerline rebuttal, especially liked the fact check slam.
This Rocco sounds a bit like Demyon Bedny,a lickspittle Soviet poet back in the 30’s…he was such a buttkisser even Stalin got sick of him…
True Scott… bootlicks, ass kissers, apple polishers…. sycophants and lickspittles (that one’s great too) will go far – but only just and then comes judgment — always.
This is one of my favorite words. Nothing ruffles a leftists feathers faster, they hate it. They hate being called it, and they hate that deep down they know it is true.
The guy is a Sycophant to the nth degree. A sycophant’s, sycophant. I love this stuff! Like the Nobel Peace Prize it always blows up in their faces. Even folks who are rooting for President Obama are turned off by talk like that. It makes one reconsider one’s own admiration for the man. A Nobel Peace Prize? Really?! The most powerful writer since Julius Caesar? Really?!
“Mein Kampf” seemed to pack a pretty strong punch. Mao’s “Little Red Book” was rather “powerful.” I’m sure neither was an “Audacity of Hope,” or “Dreams of my Father,” but still…
Besides, didn’t another President win a Pulitzer for his book? Rocco’s non-mention must mean he concurs with those who believe JFK did not write, “Profiles in Courage.” Doesn’t that mean he also just called JFK a liar and a cheat?
Too bad Churchill never wrote anything that rose above President Obama’s tomes…
The great thing about statements like this is it shows thinking Dems that many of the folks around President Obama are not thinking Dems. It would be very hard to convince anyone that Rocco has even a rudimentary familiarity with history and political writing. If one is an ivory tower liberal one would scoff at this type of lunacy. Way to turn off the base, Rocco!
Is there a picture of Chris Mathews next to the definition? Mr. tingley lickspittle indeed!
Floyd,Stalin had a curious good taste about literature…he could have sent Anna Akhmatovna,Boris Pasternak,Mikhail Bulgakov,Ilya Ehrenburg to their deaths,but didn’t…Bedny he didn’t kill,just threw out of his luxury apartment.
Who does Rocco think is the modern day Brutus?