James McMurtry
Max’s Theorem
[Spoken-word]

Contrary to popular belief, Robert Earl Keen did not write that last song.
I wrote it for my buddy Max from Floydada, Texas. Floydada didn't fit the meter, so I used "Levelland."

Max was a communist, so he didn't fit in too good in Floydada. American Workers Party is not very well-represented out there, you know?

Max told me that a good ol' boy can become an intellectual, but an intellectual cannot become a good ol' boy.
I believe that to be true.

So why is it that the son of a couple of blue-blooded, erudite Connecticut yankees gets to sit behind the presidential podium and talk about "nucular" weapons?
I mean, Jeb Bush doesn't say "nucular," and you know good and damn well Barbara doesn't say "nucular"!

You know what Nixon said about Barbara, don't ya?
When asked about George Herbert Walker, he said, "He's okay, he can do his job, he's just not very interesting."
He says, "Now Barbara, she's interesting: she knows how to hate."