Realism versus "Realism"

Quote of the Day - Andrew Sullivan

I thought that moment in the New Hampshire debate when Sen. Clinton stopped Sens. Edwards and Obama with her so-call 'reality-check' was tacky and shrill. Sullivan here, points to a comment by Sen. Obama in his new stump speech that tackles the 'reality-check' idea rather well by noting that JFK didn't place his policy decision to announce a goal of going to the moon on the alter of that cynical 'reality-check'. It's fairly obvious from the history of the U.S. that when Americans are called upon, and I mean seriously called upon, they rise to the occasion. The idea that realism as an ideology cannot contain some idealism and hope is wrong. What realism does call for is a plan to turn that idealism and hope into reality.