Who said: "He might be an SOB, but he is our SOB"? And who was "He"?





























































































I received an angry email from someone who has read my earlier Gadhafi: He might be an SOB, but he is our SOB:
Hi Leon,
I wiped you off my mental list of readable writers when you referred to Gadhafi as an SOB.
Goodbye,
Tom Lowe
Borrego Springs, CA
Ouch! That hurt.
Well, Tom...
I couldn't believe it the day that you left
Cleaned out your closet, cleared off your shelves
Loaded your car and you drove out of sight
But I never said goodbye
I'll never say goodbye
The door's always open, I leave on a light
I'm always waiting in case you drop by
I'll never say goodbye (read the rest of
Dolly Parton's I'll Never Say Goodbye
. Now.. seriously. Tom, someone your age should be familiar with, you know, famous sayings in U.S. history, including that "Our SOB" quote. There is, however, a debate among historians about who actually said "He might be an SOB, but he is our SOB" and who he was referring to. Here are the choices:
1. FDR said that about Trujillo, the ruler of the Dominican Republic.
2. FDR said that about Somoza, the Nicaraguan dictator.
3. Cordell Hull said that about Trujillo to FDR.
4. Cordell Hull said that about Somoza to FDR.
5. Churchill said that about Stalin to FDR.
6. No one said that about anyone.
Read about debate here.
And, Tom, I thought that my implication on the post that Judy Miller was doing a Monica to Muhammar was a little bit more, like naughty...

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