05.8

“God’s Chosen Envoy for America.” Blog entry. Huffington Post, 21 June. Mailer’s complete comment on the death of President Ronald Reagan:

“ In the wake of all the fluvial funereal obsequies that the media attached to Ronald Reagan’s earthly departure, I felt obliged to remark that he had been the most overrated president in American history and the second most ignorant. Then I added — how could I not? — guess who is the most ignorant? Half the audience applauded; the other half were outraged and groaned in true patriotic pain. Since George W. is not only a horse’s ass, but vain and platitudinous to boot, it can hardly escape us that he is also serving (with all due inner incandescence) as God’s chosen envoy for America. ”