The NRA has announced that Lt. Col. Oliver North, U.S. Army Ret., will be its new president. I read this online:

“This is the most exciting news for our members since Charlton Heston became president of our association,” NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said. “Oliver North is a legendary warrior for American freedom, a gifted communicator and skilled leader. In these times, I can think of no one better suited to serve as our president.”

So, “a legendary warrior for American freedom.” You can read of Col. North’s slightly distinguished military career in a Wikipedia article. I rather think what Mr. LaPierre means by “legendary warrior for American freedom” is that North lied to Congress, has had a long career on the extreme-right vaudeville circuit, and worked for Fox News, among other gigs hosting a show called “War Stories with Oliver North.” A more correct description of Col. North might be “has-been bull-shitter for right wing causes.”

I remember Col. North’s appearances before Congress’ Irangate hearings, back when he was running guns to our Iranian friends. In his testimony, when he was not issuing challenges to ordeal by combat, he spun so many impossible yarns that Senator Daniel Inouye was overheard saying of North “This guy is Joe Isuzu,” the comedic compulsive liar featured then in Isuzu television commercials. We must not dismiss this as a narrowly partisan evaluation, for the real leader of the Republican Party at the time, Mrs. Nancy Reagan, is quoted as having observed “Ollie North has a great deal of trouble separating fact from fantasy.”

I am not at all surprised that North is to be president of the NRA. He is for many an anti-factual figure of manufactured legend and lore, and he will bring more energy to the job than Charlton Heston who always seemed more dead than alive. What does surprise me is that such a glib liar and t.v. show patriot was not recruited early on into the Trump Administration where he would be such a good fit.