2/24/2005
James Watt: Setting the Record Straight
Over at Jesus Politics I posted an objectively polite correction to the (bogus) James Watt quote about how being pro-environment is pointless, since the Apocalypse was going to be happening pretty much any minute.
Someone commented later, and was clearly upset with me. If I understand correctly, the commenter didn't feel that I had condemned Bill Moyers sufficiently, and that further penance would be necessary to undo the great wrong done against James Watt.
(I should note that in this case it was RFK, Jr., who was repeating the bogus quote. But it's clear that people are still pretty steamed at Moyers, and by extension, me. I should also add that, except for the Watt mistake, the RFK Jr. quote is brilliant.)
So, first off let me condemn Moyers more severely: Bill, you got the quote wrong. In the afterlife, you don't deserve to end up in the same place in hell as Watt.
As part of my penance, I'd like to correct other misattributions to Mr. Watt.
- Watt never said: "I'm glad that the Beach Boys are helping to keep the youthful spirit of the 1960's alive during our Independence Day celebration." Instead, he banned them from performing on the Mall, and replaced them with Wayne Newton.
- Watt never said: "I am proud to say that I have a diverse staff at Interior, and we make a good team." The correct quote is: "We have every kind of mixture you can have. I have a black, I have a woman, two Jews, and a cripple.”
- Watt was not found guilty of of withholding documents from a federal grand jury investigating alleged corruption at HUD. Instead, he plead guilty to that charge, wiping out 18 felony charges against him.
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