Gore Vidal

I’ve never read any of his books, but I remember a hard-hitting quote from him during an interview in the early ‘70s.  I don’t remember the exact wording — I Googled it but nothing came up — but he was talking about political corruption.  He said something like:  By the time a politician has even the remotest chance of getting elected, he/she’s already completely bought and paid for, and his/her election won’t make any difference.

At the time I thought that statement was too cynical, pessimistic; too jaded.  But he was absolutely right.

Another quote, which I just saw today for the first time:  “"Half of the American people have never read a newspaper.  Half never voted for president. One hopes it is the same half.”

Unfortunately…

And anyone who was around during the 1970s probably remembers Gore Vidal’s little dustup with Norman Mailer on the Dick Cavett Show.  Definitely one of Dick Cavett’s livelier episodes.  This video shows about four minutes of it.

R.I.P.