"...a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron."

[kentuck]

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Ummmm ... not exactly what he said.

The larger the mob, the harder the test. In small areas, before small electorates, a first-rate man occasionally fights his way through, carrying even the mob with him by force of his personality. But when the field is nationwide, and the fight must be waged chiefly at second and third hand, and the force of personality cannot so readily make itself felt, then all the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most easily adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.

The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

(Contrary to the wording presented in the graphic above, Mencken's original statement made no mention of fools or narcissism.)

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mencken-white-house-quote/

[cksmithy]

2. Yes, your quote is correct, "and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

But at the time, psychologically and medically, "a moron was considered a person to have a mental age between 7 to 12 years of age. To me, the new translation, interpretation of Mencken's statement, fits perfectly. Fool and moron, the same, only narcissist is new, but helps explain our situation. But, yes you are correct.

[John1956PA]

4. Correct. I have always seen that Mencken quote ending with "moron."

[Hekate]

5. The original is a great statement, oft-quoted & brilliant just the way it is

[Uncle Joe]

3. I believe the biggest challenge with "perfecting democracy"

is that we still haven't perfected it, but every time we make incremental progress toward that journey we think that we have arrived.

Thanks for the thread kentuck

[Vogon_Glory]

6. And Mencken was no liberal, either

Still, I think he’d be horrified by Donald John and MAGA.

[debsy]

7. Here's the actual OP Ed

http://amomai.blogspot.com/2008/10/hl-mencken-bayard-vs-lionheart.html?m=1]

[mdbl]

8. It's sad that this prophecy came true.

Was something I hoped the US would avoid.