In the recent Atlantic Monthly (Jan/Feb '06, p. 154), P. J. O’Rourke coins the phrase “morally obese” to describe both Clintons (Bill and Hillary) as well as Newt Gingrich.
Whatever your politics, I just think that’s a succinct, funny, and accurate way to put it.
It sounds nice and witty, but what does it mean, exactly?
I’ve really enjoyed some of PJ’s earlier work. Especially Holidays In Hell.
Context provided. P.J. O’Rourke, “Two Cheers for Hypocrisy”, Atlantic Minthly, Jan-Feb 2006:
OK…I like the sound of it, but I still don’t know exactly what it means. “Egotistically bloated” is fine. I can picture that. But “morally obese?” Huh?
Seems a bit strange to use a word implying “excessive” with respect to the Clinton’s morals. While “bankrupt” might be extreme, I’d probably pick “malnourished” before using anything close to “bloated.”
Eh, I was still refering to morals, “egotistically bloated” works just fine.
I’m not sure I understand either but it seems to say that “morally obese” means “morally corrupt” or “morally depraved”. Should this be the case I have to say I find using “obese” as a punchy synonym for “corrupt” or “depraved” is not something I can agree with at all.
If I got the wrong meaning then I’m happy to put straight, though.
I agree that the phrase lacks precision or clarity. I just liked how it evokes (to me) the idea that these three folks may be smart and competent, but that they let their more personal habits and hungers interfere with their overall effectiveness and ability to command respect. (Obviously, the fact that at least two out of the three are or have been probably clinically obese adds to the poetry).
I agree that it is a great term poetically. It conjures up Thomas Nash-like caricutures of bloated, corrupt politicians. In that regard, “Morally Gluttonous” might have worked as well in a denotative sense. But Morally Obese works as long as one doesn’t overanalyze as we’ve done.
It’s obviously a play on “Morbidly Obese”, and pretty clever. Unfortunately, its meaning isn’t teriffically clear, although it’s obviously negative. It’s similar to a term I once saw in a movie review – “flatulently directed”. It’s obviously derogatory, but it doesn’t actually mean anything.
Wouldn’t it be a better term for holier-than-thou people who overindulge on morals that are bad for you?
Who cares what “morally obese” means? The word should be judged on its truthiness.
And that’s tonight’s word…
I’m not totally clear on what it means either, but I like the sound of it. I suppose Gingrich could be morally obese because he made a hypocrite of himself. And Hillary has become morally obese lately, I think. She’s parked herself firmly on the Helen Lovejoy Expressway with her “please think of the children” stance on videogames, for example.