March 12, 2014

"Did Russ Feingold Just End a War?"

Headline at Politco. Excerpt:
Still, as Feingold stumbled his way through the muddy, steep terrain, the [Congo’s Kahuzi-Biega National Park] apparently reminded him of the Midwest, and he later mused about the bright tourist prospects for Congo should the country become more stable. Wildlife could be brought back. “We did that in Wisconsin,” he pointed out. “There had been elks, and one state senator said, ‘Let’s reintroduce elks.’ So they did, and now they’re all over the place.”

32 comments:

tim maguire said...

What's the rule? If the title is a question, the answer is no?

Bob Ellison said...

But the elk live in temperate zone. The Congo is tropical.

khesanh0802 said...

Fluff, fluff, fluff. Politico should be ashamed.

madAsHell said...

The former Democratic senator from Wisconsin wore a long-sleeved safari shirt over a blue polo, a coiled bracelet to repel mosquitos, a surgical mask to protect the gorillas from human germs and two pairs of socks, with his zip-off cargo pants tucked into the outer pair to keep out ants. Aside from the cool touch of Ray-Ban aviators, it was the sort of outfit Chevy Chase might have sported if Hollywood had ever gotten around to making National Lampoon’s African Vacation.

They provided a picture, and a description?
Have they nothing but contempt for their readers?

Monkeyboy said...

Short answer: No he didn't, fighting continues.

Long answer: So Politico thinks that a few words from a well meaning white liberal is all it takes to solve decades of ethnic violence?
The use of animals to increase tourism in Africa has been well discussed in sport hunting circles for decades, but apparently Politico thinks it never would have occured to the Congolese without White intervention.

Michael said...

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a disaster occuring in a war that broke out in a shithole that long ago lost, abandoned, the civilized world.

RecChief said...

"So Politico thinks that a few words from a well meaning white liberal is all it takes to solve decades of ethnic violence? "

Not just Politico, a whole lot of folks on the left. The whole "reset" thing with Russia for example.

Still if he can do some good there, what's the harm?

Anonymous said...

But he maintained that now was a “modestly hopeful moment” for the Congolese. “If they can get these elections right, and if we can consolidate proper government control here and get rid of the other armed groups,” he told me, “this could be a major turning point in the history of a country that has been plagued ever since the day of independence.

That's a lot of "ifs" remaining to be overcome. Also, what's with the blatant racism in the last paragraph:

Was the snub deliberate? No one knew for sure. In Congo, though, when picking between strategic calculation and third-world dysfunction, the smart money is on the latter.

mccullough said...

The rope-a-dope strategy

Ignorance is Bliss said...

If they can get these elections right, and if we can consolidate proper government control here and get rid of the other armed groups,” he told me, “this could be a major turning point in the history of a country that has been plagued ever since the day of independence.

Sounds like a liberal talking about the U.S.

cubanbob said...

"If they can get these elections right, and if we can consolidate proper government control here and get rid of the other armed groups,” he told me, “this could be a major turning point in the history of a country that has been plagued ever since the day of independence."

I don't see a we here Kemosabe. I see a Belgium that needs to go back and undo the damage they did and pay reparations.

Cedarford said...

Because to a Democrat, the people of the Congo are no different than the people of Wisconsin. Each group "blessed" with equal Kulture and skills and potential. So bringing critters in, no problem.
Of course ol' Russ is thinking that the noble Congolese Freedom Lovers would of course not eat the critters or kill any people that they thought wanted the tourist revenue instead of them, if enough of the critters survived to draw in wealthy white and Japanese with no family who transfer their love to animals as surrogates...

Of course, if you moved Wisconsinites, even the denizens of Madison and Milwaukees darkest ghettos, to replace the Congolese, the critters would be pretty much left to flourish besides a hunting season harvest half the transplanted Wisconsinites would be "appalled at". The ghetto denizens would be held in check by more civilized Wisconsinites, save for the usual robbery, murder, and Knockout Game stuff.

But if you took all the people out of Wisconsin and replaced them with Congolese...in 20 years, no elk. Probably no dairy cows left either. No electricity left as well.

Stephen said...

Elks?? Are they related to deers? It's ELK! There is an elk. There is a herd of elk. God, I hate ignorant people expounding like an expert when they know nothing about the subject. Thank goodness they have elks in Nevada or I wouldn't be thawing out the tenderloin of one on the counter right now. Sheesh.

Ann Althouse said...

@Stephen

Consider the the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Elks Club. Are you going to take them on.

Also, in 1836 Washingon Irving, in "Astoria," wrote "Besides the buffaloes they saw abundance of deer, and frequent gangs of stately elks, together with light troops of sprightly antelopes, the fleetest and most beautiful inhabitants of the prairies."

Erich said...

Is there a "Feingold the boyfriend" tag?

"There I was..."

donald said...

I can't believe I got all the way to Stephen's post without rugged out doors man Garage Mahal correcting (Gently) that weeny.

donald said...

I can't believe I got all the way to Stephen's post without rugged out doors man Garage Mahal correcting (Gently) that weeny.

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised he didn't tell them to start growing arugula.

richard mcenroe said...


Long answer: So Politico thinks that a few words from a well meaning white liberal is all it takes to solve decades of ethnic violence?

Come one, look how well it works for the President.

Hell, all Saddam REALLY wanted was a few mule deer...

richard mcenroe said...

"I hate ignorant people expounding like an expert when they know nothing about the subject."

That's not fair. Feingold spent days crawling through the mud behind Kerry and Gingrich hunting deer with his double-barrel 12-gauge.

Strelnikov said...

Well, it isn't over till he wins. Oh, wait...

Strelnikov said...

Africa is so easy to figure out even a WI liberal can do it.

Provided he's white enough.

Sam L. said...

Politico: Non-sequiter titles a specialty.

Grimstarr said...

Hey Althouse. A club can call itself whatever the hell they want.

In fact, individual humanoid members of the club are Elk: "Yes, I'm an Elk."

A group of humanoid members of the club would be a group of Elks: "Yes, we are all Elks."

However, those deer-like creatures that live in the woods and walk around on four legs are individually and collectively known as Elk: "Did you see all the Elk out there in the woods walking around on four legs?" "Yes I did and that one Elk had a nice rack on it, but it wasn't really bouncy like I like my racks."

Glad I could help.

MadisonMan said...

There is an elk.

...who has a theory, and it is hers.

Known Unknown said...

Aside from the cool touch of Ray-Ban aviators, it was the sort of outfit Chevy Chase might have sported if Hollywood had ever gotten around to making National Lampoon’s African Vacation.

Who in the Hades writes like that? Ugh.

Known Unknown said...

The comments are delicious:

"Good for Russ. It is great if it is true. Sadly, he had a chance to end a war in Wisconsin by defeating the Koch Walker regime"

William said...

I think elk probably taste better than gorillas. There remains, however, the existential question of whether Feingold tastes better than a mountain gorilla. I would not like an ex-Senator to end up as bush meat,and I hope Feingold takes all proper precautions to safeguard that eventuality. The question of whether or not Feingold is an Elk is irrelevant to this discussion.

Portia said...

'fraid Feingold is going down the Jimmah Cahtah road, too much in evidence after his defeat. Not a good road to be on.

Dr Hubert Jackson said...

You're not allowed to say Wisconsin has a lot of Elk(s?) until you're giving out hunting licenses for them.

We have a lot of wolves finally...

Roberta said...

180 elk near Clam Lake are "all over the place"?

He should have used turkeys as his example.

ken in tx said...

The Elks where I grew up sponsored a dance for teenagers every weekend. No drinking of course. I don't know if they could do that in Wisconsin.