The Spiro Agnew Quote Thread

[On the Road]

Just for fun. In the late 60's-early 70's, Agnew was like the US equivalent of the Iraqi information minister, at least.

A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.

A tiny and closed fraternity of privileged men, elected by no one, and enjoying a monopoly sanctioned and licensed by government.

An intellectual is a man who doesn't know how to park a bike.

In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism.

Some newspapers are fit only to line the bottom of bird cages.

The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated in a contemporary antagonism known as the generation gap.

Three things have been difficult to tame: the oceans, fools and women. We may soon be able to tame the oceans; fools and women will take a little longer.

Ultraliberalism today translates into a whimpering isolationism in foreign policy, a mulish obstructionism in domestic policy, and a pusillanimous pussyfooting on the critical issue of law and order.

Yippies, Hippies, Yahoos, Black Panthers, lions and tigers alike -- I would swap the whole damn zoo for the kind of young Americans I saw in Vietnam.

from www.quotegallery.com

[CBGLuthier]

1. ahh, you forgot my favorite

Had the rocks not been thrown, there would have been no need for the killing.

Referring to Kent State.

Kind of sums up the whole republican philosphy for me.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Right back at 'ya Spiro baby!

we've got one John F. Kerry on deck- just the kind of young American you saw in Vietnam!!!

[seemslikeadream]

3. OK this will be fun for me

( In reaction to protests over the invasion of Cambodia on the day before the Kent State massacre): "I think if the War were over, they would find something else to use as an excuse for throwing firebombs into the Bank of America." May 3, 1970.

13 days later my first child was born

"Ultraliberalism today translates into a whimpering isolationism in foreign policy, a mulish obstructionism in domestic policy, and a pusillanimous pussyfooting on the critical issue of law'n' order." September 10,1973

"We can afford to separate (protesters ) from our society with no more regret than we should feel over discarding rotten apples from a barrel." October 30, 1973

"The charges against me are, if you'll pardon the expression, damned lies. I am innocent of these charges. If indicted, I will not resign." September 1973

( On his role as political spokesman and hatchet man for Nixon): "Clearly, President Nixon wants me to do this, just as he did it for President Eisenhower. It's the most virile role I have." January,1972

On October 10, 1973, Spiro T. Angew lost his virility and was forces to resign his office under charges of income tax evasiuon and graft.

[On the Road]

4. And a Couple More:

"A tiny and closed fraternity of privileged men, elected by no one, and enjoying a monopoly sanctioned and licensed by government."

"They have formed their own 4-H club - the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history. "

[monkeyboy]

5. HOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNK!!!!!

That's my favorite Spiro quote. I was working for the country club in the Palm Springs area that Agnew retired to many years back, and I got to know the security guards who worked there pretty well. They said that Agnew never said a word to them, but always looked straight ahead when coming up to the gate in his car. If the guard wasn't quick enough to open the gate for him, he'd lay on the horn until they did, never once looking anywhere but straight ahead. What an asshole.

[JHB]

6. If you love these, read William Safire (NYTimes columnist)

He was Spiro's speechwriter.
So was Pat Buchanan.

[PATRICK]

7. but the newspaper quote

I dunno. I think my bird would be constipated because it might consider crapping on the NYT or Post would be too redundant.

And Spiro used to be a Democrat DLC style but had no upward mobility beyond Gov. of Maryland? The bitterness in the conversion though, like a failed seminarian.

[JHB]

8. "This little group of men...

"This little group of men do not represent the views of America."

Agnew speaking about the media, in a speech penned by Pat Buchanan.

[DrBB]

9. Not a quote but an anagram

In case you never happened to have heard it, one of the great anagrams of all time is based on his name: "S-P-I-R-O A-G-N-E-W" = "GROW A PENIS"

[stevebreeze]

10. Song lyrics by Tom Paxton

"here's to Spiro Agnew and all the things he's done."

....yes that's the whole song.
:kick:

[Paranoid_Portlander]

11. Mr. Agnew was a tiny-brained wiper of other people's bottoms.

(Apologies to Monty Python.)

[stevedeshazer]

12. To this very day

I curse whoever stole my Spiro Agnew watch from my gym locker.
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:5ROnOvqa6tUC:

[mkregel]

13. Peggy Noonan wrote ALL of those

She was his speechwriter at the time.

And freepers think she is such a sage......