Althouse: "Your credibility is really remarkable because of the depth of your commitment."

February 27, 2014

"Your credibility is really remarkable because of the depth of your commitment."

Said John McCain to Ben Affleck.

Which would be fine, if they were chatting at a cocktail party, but Affleck was a witness before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

34 comments:

Bob Ellison said...: He has an Oscar, you know.; 2/27/14, 6:48 AM
harrogate said...: Well hell, on national security and foreign relations he is more credible than McCain anyway. Which granted, isn't much of a compliment to Ben.; 2/27/14, 6:55 AM
Wince said...: These people always like to say they look forward to "working" with each other, which little effort usually entails spending other people's money, accomplishing little.; 2/27/14, 7:02 AM
Revenant said...: Affleck's work as founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, a philanthropic organization that connects donors with Congolese nonprofits rather than channeling money into large international NGOs.

That, at least, suggests to me that Affleck is a lot smarter than most other celebrity activists.; 2/27/14, 7:04 AM
Humperdink said...: Highly credible, because you earn your living playing pretend in Hollywood.; 2/27/14, 7:09 AM
Humperdink said...: McCain must be absolutely dazzled by Sean Penn and his commitment to Venezuela.; 2/27/14, 7:13 AM
Anonymous said...: "I am, to state the obvious, not a Congo expert," said the actor. "I am an American working to do my part for a country and a people I believe in and care deeply about."; 2/27/14, 7:15 AM
Ron said...: Did he come as Batman? 'Cause that would have been cool....; 2/27/14, 7:20 AM
Illuninati said...: Normally I would agree with Althouse that McCain's praise in a Senate hearing was inappropriate. After reading the article about Ben Affleck's work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo I heartily agree with McCain. The poor people of the Congo desperately need help. Thank-you Ben Affleck for caring.; 2/27/14, 7:27 AM
Anonymous said...: The ball washing is even more distasteful considering Affleck's life partner Matt Damon said in 2008 that McCain was already senile and "from an actuarial standpoint" McCain would be dead during his first term.

Then President Palin would get pushed around by Vlad Putin.

Cant anyone keep a grudge anymore?; 2/27/14, 7:28 AM
Revenant said...: The ball washing is even more distasteful considering Affleck's life partner Matt Damon said in 2008 that McCain was already senile and "from an actuarial standpoint" McCain would be dead during his first term.

"Your friend said mean things about me" is a pretty silly reason for disliking somebody.

Affleck himself has generally been courteous to Republicans. He even complimented George Bush as well-meaning and patriotic -- I'm kinda surprised Hollywood even lets him make movies after that. :); 2/27/14, 7:32 AM
PB said...: Other than his time, how much of Affleck's own cash has been contributed to the effort? It's probably not a thing he would bring up in a forum that is focused on spending other people's money.; 2/27/14, 7:34 AM
RecChief said...: meh.; 2/27/14, 7:37 AM
campy said...: Yep, we sure dodged a bullet in 2008.; 2/27/14, 7:38 AM
KCFleming said...: Boilerplate lickspittle.

Meanwhile, Democrat Sen. Harry Reid claimed that all the Obamacare "horror stories" were faked, saying "all are untrue."

McCain gives Affleck a backrub, and we're getting screwed.
But we shouldn't say anything because it's not really happening.; 2/27/14, 7:39 AM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: "Your credibility is really remarkable because of the depth of your commitment," Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said

What is remarkable about the credibility?

Normal expectation is credibility is directly proportional to commitment. Someone called to Congressional testimony would be expected to be both committed and credible.

Is McCain saying Afffffleck is
..uncommitted but highly credible;
..highly committed but not credible;
..neither committed nor credible.

Because being both highly committed and highly credible would be the norm, and thus unremarkable.

Or is all this just grandstanding B.S. for McCain and Afffffleck to get face time.; 2/27/14, 7:39 AM
damikesc said...: Watching pols attempt to fellate actors is always embarrassing.; 2/27/14, 7:54 AM
Humperdink said...: Jane Fonda is in the on deck circle ready to discuss her expertise - economic development in Vietnam.

It was also reported Fonda was going visit the Clinton campaign, specifically Bill, for some "pointers" prior to appearing before the committee.; 2/27/14, 8:01 AM
rehajm said...: At televised committee hearings the actors are usually the ones asking the questions.; 2/27/14, 8:10 AM
SGT Ted said...: We're living in the "Idiocracy" movie now.; 2/27/14, 8:24 AM
SGT Ted said...: "I am, to state the obvious, not a Congo expert," said the actor. "I am an American working to do my part for a country and a people I believe in and care deeply about."

This shows that Mr. Affleck has a brain.; 2/27/14, 8:25 AM
Big Mike said...: Back when I first read Faith of My Fathers I thought I was reading the story of a hero. Now I'm sorry his parachute opened.; 2/27/14, 8:31 AM
William said...: In the novel Resurrection, Tolstoy details how a young nobleman rapes a maid in his household. The maid becomes a fallen woman and then a prostitue. The nobleman finds religion and endeavors to restore the woman to her former status. The woman complains that just as he used her body for his sexual needs, he is now using her soul for his spiritual needs........Celebrtities exploit Africa not for the gold and diamonds but for their own salvation. There's something about it that inspires distrust and wariness.; 2/27/14, 8:41 AM
Seeing Red said...: Alar redux.; 2/27/14, 8:58 AM
Seeing Red said...: President Palin would get pushed around by Vlad Putin?

Bwaaaaaaaaa; 2/27/14, 9:00 AM
Michael in ArchDen said...: Did nobody else see the "House of Lies" episode with Matt Damon? Much funnier than this hearing...

NSFW, but highly recommended!; 2/27/14, 9:53 AM
furious_a said...: Hey, at least Ben Affleck got those embassy people out of Tehran back in '79.

Makes up for Gigli, dunnit?

And good on him for helping the people in the Congo. To those bringing up the Alar/Streep stuff - are you saying what's happening in the Congo is made-up sh*t?

'cause if so, it's been "made up" since the Belgians bugged out back in 60-whatever.; 2/27/14, 9:55 AM
jacksonjay said...: Steven Colbert's "testimony" before a committee a few years ago was shameful! He was not funny and was extremely disrespectful! His appearance was coupled with a stupid skit on his not funny show!

To his credit, John Conyers was the only Congressman who condemned his appearance as a inappropriate!

Colbert even mocked the whole thing.

Colbert, testifying next to the president of the United Farm Workers (UFW), discussed his "vast experience spending one day as a migrant farm worker," adding that he was "happy to use [his] celebrity to draw attention to this important, complicated issue."
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/stephen-colbert-testifies-before-congress-on-vast-experience-as-a-migrant-laborer/; 2/27/14, 10:13 AM
Biff said...: I voted for McCain, but sometimes I think that the full disaster of Obama is actually better than the inane decay that surely would have characterized a McCain administration. I doubt McCain could've been a two termer, so now we likely would be in Obama's first term, and the Dems would be saying about everything, "Hey, this is a conservative idea! President McCain supported it! You're just playing partisan politics! Sore losers!"; 2/27/14, 10:22 AM
Charlie Currie said...: Celebrities performing in front of wanna be celebrities...; 2/27/14, 10:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Yes, but McCain also said this:

"'So often we get celebrities and it's as much about them as it is about the issue,' added Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho).

"'I assure you it's partially about him,' joked McCain."; 2/27/14, 11:45 AM
Scott M said...: Why was the worst Batman ever (and that includes Clooney in a Senate hearing again?; 2/27/14, 4:11 PM
Gahrie said...: Celebrtities exploit Africa not for the gold and diamonds but for their own salvation

So? If it improves the lives of the Africans why do the motivations matter? Best of all, it might actually improve the lives of Africans and save the souls of the actors...and how can that be a bad thing?

Also, if the West was ignoring Africa we would be condemned for that. The fact is, vast sums of American wealth are given to Africa every year, and has been for 50 years, with no appreciable effect on the lives of the average African.; 2/27/14, 10:58 PM
Chef Mojo said...: Take up the White Man's burden--
Send forth the best ye breed--
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild--
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.

Take up the White Man's burden--
In patience to abide,
To veil the threat of terror
And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple,
An hundred times made plain
To seek another's profit,
And work another's gain.

Take up the White Man's burden--
The savage wars of peace--
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen Folly
Bring all your hopes to nought.

Take up the White Man's burden--
No tawdry rule of kings,
But toil of serf and sweeper--
The tale of common things.
The ports ye shall not enter,
The roads ye shall not tread,
Go mark them with your living,
And mark them with your dead.

Take up the White Man's burden--
And reap his old reward:
The blame of those ye better,
The hate of those ye guard--
The cry of hosts ye humour
(Ah, slowly!) toward the light:--
"Why brought he us from bondage,
Our loved Egyptian night?"

Take up the White Man's burden--
Ye dare not stoop to less--
Nor call too loud on Freedom
To cloak your weariness;
By all ye cry or whisper,
By all ye leave or do,
The silent, sullen peoples
Shall weigh your gods and you.

Take up the White Man's burden--
Have done with childish days--
The lightly proferred laurel,
The easy, ungrudged praise.
Comes now, to search your manhood
Through all the thankless years
Cold, edged with dear-bought wisdom,
The judgment of your peers!

When it all gets boiled down, imperialism isn't such a bad thing. When the Congolese are starting to have fond memories of the fucking Belgians, then you really have to know things are very twisted and broken in Africa.

But why should we concern ourselves with it? Why should we take up a burden that neither benefits us nor will be appreciated by its recipients? The wars in Africa are becoming overwhelmingly religious and have been viciously brutal and inhuman for decades. There is nothing to be gained and all the aid in the world will not help them, unless we impose colonialism upon them again. The Chinese seem to be taking that route at the moment, so let them take up the burden.

In the meantime, I really can't see why we're listening to Ben Affleck take up time in the Senate. BTW, Seth Rogan was up there too, testifying about altzheimers. Was this designated Hollywood celeb day?; 2/27/14, 11:45 PM