Sunday Sentence
In which I participate in David Abrams’s “Sunday Sentence” project, sharing the best sentence I’ve read during the past week, “out of context and without commentary.”
Obama radiates an ethos of integrity, humanity, good manners and elegance that I’m beginning to miss, and that I suspect we will all miss a bit, regardless of who replaces him.
Source: David Brooks, “I Miss Barack Obama” (The New York Times)
I’ve been tracking the changes in what David Brooks says on the News Hour and writes in his columns. A few years ago he was the Republican Conservative arguing with Mark Shields the Liberal Democrat. He did his job well. I fumed at shouted at the TV.
Over the past few years he has come around towards the other side. I agree with, enjoy and respect much of what he says and writes. Now this Sunday Sentence takes me by surprise. I did not first look for the name of the person that said/wrote it. I nodded my head agreeing, a little sad and then blam… David Brooks.
I’m left with the thought that whatever else is responsible for his public change of heart there is the distinct possibility that the integrity, elegance and humanity of our President has been a key factor.
thanks for posting that sentence
All I can say is that I chose this sentence before yesterday’s news of Justice Scalia’s passing, and when I caught President’s Obama’s remarks on that event later in the evening, I knew I’d chosen the perfect sentence. Class act all the way.
Yes I agree wholeheartedly with the choice of sentences–and also the response to it. I don’t always agree with David Brooks, but he’s so elegant & thoughtful himself, that when his opinion differs from mine, I think twice about mine.
That he can prompt such a reaction with his writing is a testament to its strength.
I like this segment. I read it to learn about great sentence structure. I also read many political sites that attract rants and raves between political combatants. I hope this feature doesn’t find itself hijacked by ideologues. The artistry of language is not dependent on one’s political views.