-By Warner Todd Huston
Greg Hinz, the lefty columnist from Crain’s Chicago Business, has a quick post on our presumptive GOP nominee for Governor that doesn’t put him in the best light. It seems that Mr. Brady is a tad sketchy on American history, sadly.
After being asked by the media if his running mate, the 27-year-old Jason Plummer, was too young to be a proper Lt. Governor candidate, Brady said this:
“How old was Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Constitution?” Mr. Brady asked. “Age isn’t the only barometer of qualification.”
Ugh. Brady needs to read a few history books as there are several things wrong with this statement.
First of all Jefferson was 33 when he penned the first few drafts of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Secondly, the Constitution was written in 1787, just over ten years later and by then Jefferson was in his 40s.
Thirdly, Thomas Jefferson had precisely zip to do with the Constitution. It was written while he was an Ambassador to France. Jefferson wasn’t even in the country at the time!
Columnist Hinz missed that third fact, as well.
Sigh. It’s such a shame that so many Americans just plain have no clue about American history. In this case a man who would be Governor and another in the media that thinks he’s in a position to critique him.
Maddening. Simply maddening.
**UPDATE**
Greg Hines misleads me and the state of Illinois.
“Reporter” Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business made a goof that changes the meaning of what I was taking Brady to task for. Here is Hinz’ correction:
* My apologies to likely GOP gubernatorial nominee Bill Brady, whom I quoted on Friday likening the experience of his 27-year-old running mate, Jason Plummer, to Thomas Jefferson’s writing of the U.S. Constitution.
Tapes show Mr. Brady referred not to the Constitution — my notes were wrong — but to the Declaration of Independence, which Mr. Jefferson did indeed draft, at age 33. The Constitution came a couple of decades later.
Well, that is a whole ‘nuther kettle of fish, isn’t it??
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“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson
Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, TheRealityCheck.org, RedState.com, Human Events Magazine, AmericanDailyReview.com, and the New Media Journal, among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events and is currently the co-host of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism” heard on BlogTalkRadio. Warner is also the editor of the Cook County Page for RedCounty.com.
He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of PubliusForum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston
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Alas and forsooth, probably a product of public edjumacation!