"A Brief Word About The Word Brilliance"
February 28th, 2006

Rune Nordsman

Much has been made about the so-called “brilliance” of Karl Rove by the media and representatives of the political parties. I’m going to go out on a limb and say he is not “brilliant”.

“Brilliant”? Compared to who? Compared to the box of mud that he positioned to be appointed our president? Compared to the campaign managers and leaders of the Dems, who seem to be out maneuvered time and again by Rovian smear tactics and the simplicity of the bigoted message of the right? Maybe.

However, I would use the word to describe certain scientists, chemists, mathematicians, painters, filmmakers, composers, writers and so forth. You know, the kind of people the neocons and the religious right dismiss and attack because their research, creations and assertions threaten their narrow minded and selfish views of the world.

Political strategists like Rove are cunning criminals, hardly “brilliant” minds. It is simply an improper use of the word when it is applied anywhere near their mean spirited, poisonous, deceitful, little names.