Never change (to the metric system), Linc Chafee, never change
Now admits that his proposal to convert to metric system turned candidacy “into more of a joke about metric”
Linc Chafee was the most improbable of Democratic presidential candidates, as I explained when he announced, Wut? Former RI Senator and Governor Linc Chafee for President?
Former U.S. Senator and Rhode Island Governor Linc Chafee has announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee.
When Rhode Island reader and blogger Tony emailed me about it, I thought it was a joke. Chafee has a reputation of a buffoonish political character who switches political sides on a whim. On second thought, that may make him perfect as a presidential candidate….
Had I known this would happen, I never would have left Rhode Island.
The talk radio is going to be gold, pure gold.
Chafee’s candidacy was “pure gold” for talk radio and the national audience when he had some interesting moments on stage.
What probably sunk his campaign, however, was his “bold” plan to adopt the metric system — which he included in his campaign launch announcement:
I was heartbroken when Don Quijote de la Chafee dropped his presidential bid
Lincoln Davenport Chafee, former U.S. Senator and Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Mayor of Cranston, son of the late U.S. Senator John Chafee, and most importantly, farrier extraordinaire, announced this morning that he is abandoning his quest for the Democratic nomination to be President of the United States of America….
The people of Rhode Island are heartbroken. Not because he’s dropping out, but because he now will have more time to spend in Rhode Island.
Looking back on it all, Chafee has regrets, particularly the proposal to go metric:
Looking back on the primary, are there things you wish you did better?
I guess the big mistake—I went back and forth on including the metric system angle. I was just crossing my fingers there would be some intellectual approach to the various proposals I put out in my announcement speech, which kind of covered the gamut, from ending capital punishment, to bringing Edward Snowden home. Also, I was for TPP. Unfortunately, my crossed fingers didn’t work, and it just turned into more of a joke about metric, not “let’s look at the bigger picture.” I think, and it’s a trend, there’s just less of a Walter Cronkite, I call it, approach to the news. It’s entertainment. Donald Trump, early on, said: I’m just going to push every possible emotional button I can. I don’t care! And he crushed the nomination.
The metric system seems like it works everywhere else.
Canada had it. And I was there when they were doing the transition to it. It’s no big deal!
It could be our undercurrent of anti-European sentiment.
Yup. I was saying, should I put it in or not? My wife said, no, it will be misunderstood. And she was right.
Never change, Linc Chafee, never change.
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Comments
Communists use the metric system.
Sarcasm or Stupidity?
That issue is so staggeringly unimportant, it raises the question of the candidate’s judgment. What would he focus on?
He would focus on keeping the Lincoln penny.
Pity. He should have said we need to adopt the Euro and join the one world government movement.
There are two kinds of countries; those that use the metric system, and those that have been to the moon. 🙂
–Andrew
Then we decided we needed to be like everyone else and this happened:
https://www.wired.com/2010/11/1110mars-climate-observer-report/amp/
And most of the science used to go to the moon was in metric.
We’ll never get rid of the American system of units (The Imperial system was a bit different.) but metric has worked its way indelibly into our culture. Just look into your mechanic’s tool box. Fords and Chevies are largely metric cars, now, but don’t you dare throw away those 9/16 and 3/4 inch wrenches. You’ll need them. Our land survey system is so firmly locked into feet and rods and chains, that it will be impossible to “modernize.”
And many of the designers grew up on the metric system. Believe me, the rest of them were quite familiar with it.
Assuming you are serious, stick to the law.
ORDA, here’s a hint: stop being an obnoxious, holier-than-thou condescending prig. Particularly to Andrew, whom we all here respect and admire a great deal.
Any chance his grandfather is his uncle?