An "Egghead and Blockheads" Critique

    A New York Times columnist, Maureen Dowd, criticizes the Republican party and its leaders in the article “Egghead and Blockheads.”  Initially, she argues that Republicans are dumb, and secondly she censures the Republicans for boasting of their rejection of intellectualism.  However interesting to read, Dowd’s arguments are devoid of sound reasoning.
    In the article, Dowd draws an analogy between an intellectual know-it-all and stupid rough cowboy to the Democrats and Republicans, respectively.  She does not bother to convince her audience that Democrats are eggheads; however, she spends considerable time accusing the Republicans of being blockheads.  She reveals Republican candidate Rick Perry’s faulty grades and failure in college.
    If intellect is measured by collegiate success, Dowd has a point.  On the other hand,  many great leaders in American history never attended college or achieved high grades.  When the country was just beginning, men like Patrick Henry, who never received a formal education but was nonetheless extremely bright, aided in creating our nation.  General Ulysses S. Grant  attended the United States military academy at West Point; he, like Perry, did not excel in his studies, but failing grades did not stop him from influencing the course of the Civil War.  Perry is neither a second Henry, nor a second Grant, but it is safe to say that intellect can still exist with non-existent or failing grades.
    Dowd quotes a Perry statement she does not understand, not to reveal her ignorance, but to show that Perry does not know what he is talking about.  Perry said, “God uses broken people to reach a broken world;” the context in which the statement was given would pour light on the subject, but this statement is not uncommon.  The belief that God can use imperfect people to help an imperfect world is rooted in Christianity.
    Dowd uses the fallacy Ad Hominem, to the man, instead of questioning Perry’s policies or conduct; by calling him stupid, she attacks his character.  Although entertaining to read, her argument when examined is nasty and irrational.  She successfully tore Perry apart, but the audience must examine the method she used.  Her arguments were based solely on belittling him not on his arguments.
    She concludes the article by pointing out that Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, and all other Republicans share the pride of stupidity that Perry wears.  If it were established that all three Republican leaders were completely brainless, an illogical generalization of the Republican party is made when she says all Republicans are like them.
      In this article, Dowd assumes that intellect comes from good grades, attacks Perry personally, and generalizes a whole party with three examples.   Her article is at best entertaining but not a display of sound reasoning in rhetoric.