Shots In The Dark: Gutmann: Up in Smoke?

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Gutmann: Up in Smoke?

(Sorry, I could make those puns all morning. "Did Gutmann Bomb?" "Dyno-Might?" "Sticking to Her Guns." Etc.)

The Crimson runs a piece on whether Gutmann's (explosive!) gaffe will affect her chances of being picked as Harvard's next president, including a few quotes from yours truly....

From the length of my quote, I'm guessing that I and fellow quote-monger Harvey Mansfield are the only folks who would agree to talk about this little brouhaha. Forgive me, Harvard! It's just that I know how difficult it can be to get anyone there to say anything on the record....

¶ 8:43 AM

Comments:

Right or wrong, fair or not, she's finished at Harvard. No question about it. Her supporters can spin it however they like, it is over for her in Cambridge.

# posted by Anonymous : 12:02 PM

That sounds final, oracular, and authoritative, 12:02, but I would hope the Corporation would see this for what it is, if she has their support on substantial grounds and is interested in the position. Richard and Harvey Mansfield are right on this one. If Gutmann gets excluded for this gaffe, we are in a sorry state indeed, and anonymous posters who speak as 12.02 does are to be treated with great suspicion as to motives. Tell us, SHOULD it be over for her, and if so, why exactly?

Richard Thomas

# posted by Richard Thomas : 8:06 PM

Once again Richard Thomas is the voice of sanity. (Several years ago, I never thought I or any of my mainstream faculty colleagues would say this.)How times have changed.

The subtext is also right: this is not so much about Gutmann (who after all is probably not available) but more about Harvard--what we think is important in our leaders.

# posted by Anonymous : 8:56 PM

Geez, 8:56! What did I do "several years ago" (you now have tenure I assume, so why anon?) to make me seem only now a voice of sanity? But glad to hear you and your mainstream colleagues have come to your senses
RFT

# posted by Richard Thomas : 10:03 PM

I'm not so sure I see Richard (B) and Harvey as having exactly the same opinion (not in print anyway). Harvey says this shouldn't matter, and RB says that however unfortunate, it might. RB only says she probably isn't pro-terrorism. So, Rich, does a minor but perhaps telling oversight matter? Or, to ape RT, SHOULD it matter?

# posted by Anonymous : 11:35 PM

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