O'Malley Pulls a 'Sorkin'
Gov. Martin O'Malley loves a good turn of phrase.
The poet-governor took a page from screenwriter Aaron Sorkin Monday during an update on storm recovery. Sorkin, writer of the West Wing and other movies and television shows, has a reputation for liberally borrowing from himself (some would say "self-plagiarizing").
It is in that tradition that the O'Malley Monday offered reporters and the public this re-heated line:
"The most important home we restore to power is the next one," O'Malley said, speaking about efforts by BGE and PEPCO to restore power to customers around Maryland.
Sound familiar?
O'Malley has used a variant of this before in comments about job creation:
"This is why the most important job we create is the next one."
O'Malley said that during his February 1 State of the State speech and again during an April 13 Innovate Maryland speech.
In the movie "Bull Durham," Kevin Costner advised Tim Robbins to work on his cliches: "They're your friends," he said.
So can you really blame the governor if he re-purposes his own words every now and again?
It got Sorkin all the way to the White House (twice).
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Jamie
9:16 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
So I guess he's back in town from his political vacation then? Must have been nice to escape the darkened homes without any ac in the heat wave. Wish I could have done it!
Tim
9:54 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Sometimes its okay to not post a story if it's 100% fluff.
Tom Henry
9:56 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Its' nice to see he's quoting from someone just as narcissitic as himself.
Tom Henry
9:40 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
sorry, narcissistic.
Steve
9:57 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
"Political Vacation"? Last time I looked the Eastern Shore (including OC) was part of MD. I wish somebody would tell Andy Harris that.
Bruce Robinson
10:52 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Bryan - Do you have a recollection of Governor O'Malley using the "Boot up the backside" line he employed on television while implying that BGE employees were working less hard than they were capable of. I recall some classic lines when he was pointing out his perceptions of poor performance by at least one past City Police Commissioner and a State's Attorney.
Bryan P. Sears
12:56 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
I don't have a specific recollection of that but it might be easily checked. I'd wager someone would have reported it had he said it.
Bruce Robinson
10:53 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Thanks for the Sorkin Cut. I will never again watch West Wing without thinking about the plagerism and Governor O'Malley.
Native
12:12 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
These idiot politicians are all the same. Blaming the power companies for not being fast enough to respond to a surprise storm that would overwhelm them even if it was forecast. How about deploying the national guard, how about moving police departmants around to cover intersections without lights. How about taking some of the blame instead of saying childish things like "you'll put your boot up their ass" if they don't work faster.
JD1
11:49 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Somehow I can't picture him in a pair of workboots...wingtips and a golden shovel maybe. I would love to see a scrappy lineman working on 3 hours of sleep clean the street with OMalley's pansy ass when he tries to put that boot up his ass. What a soft-handed Irish tool!
Buck Harmon
1:59 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Interesting...
Arbutus Town Crier
3:09 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Very Interesting...Martial law? Native you might have a good idea!
Steve
3:13 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Oh Geez! Don't get the Resist Nuts all worked up!
DS
10:15 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
He should have said "What's the most important tax hike? The next one".......sorry too easy
Tom Fitzpatrick
5:43 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
I never watched "The West Wing" and I haven't seen more than a few seconds of "The Newsroom". But I have noticed a sudden obsession with Sorkin amongst the conservatives I encounter on the blogs, lately.
What's with that?
mimialley
10:20 am on Thursday, July 5, 2012
@native. all of those were deployed. maybe they just didn't come to your neighborhood but I had police at intersections in my neighborhood and guard handing out ice.
Native
8:41 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
Montgomery County was hard hit, had no police at intersections.
Scott in Towson
6:35 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
I think most speakers and political figures repeat themselves because they're on the road all the time and speak to various and many audiences and therefore need to reiterate their message over and over again.
You must have been hard up for something to write about. This says more about YOU, Bryan, or Patch, than it does about our outstanding Governor Martin O'Malley, who happens to be one of the most popular elected officials in the country.
What, Bryan, has it been too long since you've stoked up the nutcases on the far-right who despise O'Malley regardless? Can't wait to hear those wackos go berserk as he's building his profile for future national politics.
Native
8:43 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
Thank God most of Maryland does not feel the same as you Scott!
de. nielson
9:41 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
it would be funny if MOM ran for president and couldn't win his home state because we know the truth
Tom Fitzpatrick
7:42 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
Yes they do repeat themselves.
O'Malley using variations of this line doesn't sound nearly half a stupid as John Boehner and Mitch McConnell going on about "job creators".