The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Cody Country

8.11.04 @ 12:01AM

ALLEY WAYS
Re: Bill Croke's Down the Alleys:

With parents that live in Cody, and not many opportunities to visit, Bill Croke's description of the alleys and lifestyle of the fair folk of Cody in "Down the Alleys" brought me back there for a brief few minutes. My Dad is a big gardener and every call I get or make to the folks comes with a description of the latest addition to the garden, of how the tomato or sweet corn crop is doing, or of the damage from a "damn" late frost. With daily reports about terrorism, war, and cynical election coverage, this small respite about small-town America is just what my weary soul needed. Hat tip to Bill Croke and The American Spectator.
-- Michael J. Kearns
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Thank you, Mr. Croke, for "Down the Alleys." Thank you for the sweetest minutes of my time in the office today -- those minutes I spent transported to Cody, Wyoming's alleys and the life in those places. My 8th-grade English teacher, Miss Frisch, would give you an A for your descriptive writing. And thanks for passing along the author's suggestion to surround ourselves with the simple things we love. I just turned 40 and have really been focused lately, but it's been hard to describe what I am focusing on. Thanks to you I can now succinctly describe it as surrounding myself with the simple things I love. Speaking of which, I can't wait to get home to my wife and my two sons and my gold Lab with a copy of "Down the Alleys." Thanks again for touching my life today!
-- David Mills
Rolla, Missouri

Good to read that Bill Croke is alive and well in his Rocky Mountain Bohemia. Even his column on alleys is a breath of fresh air.
-- Kitty Myers
Painted Post, New York

DINNER TALK
Re: Jay D. Homnick's W Stands For Winner:

This is the best commentary I've seen in years. Jay D. Homnick is welcome at my table anytime.
-- Eric Schilke

THAT'S LIFE
Re: James Bowman's The Manchurian Candidate Reconsidered:

Whether one considers it life imitating art or the inverse, the answer to Mr. Bowman's query is simple. The movie is itself a distillation of the primal political aspiration, that is, it attempts to be all things to all people. Hence, the metamorphosis when viewed differently or by a different person.

"That sounds logical!" (Spoken in the manner of Katnip.)
-- Dennis Sevakis
Bloomfield, Michigan

NOT THIS TIME
Re: The Washington Prowler's Teresa in Turquoise (Command Confidence):

The campaign source said that the book was not considered a "serious" problem for the campaign, because, "the media wouldn't have the nerve to come at us with this kind of stuff," says the source. "The senior staff believes the media is committed to seeing us win this thing, and that the convention inoculated us from these kinds of stories. The senior guys really think we don't have a problem here." -- The Prowler

This wouldn't be a problem for Kerry -- if the year were 1976 and their was no Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Bill Bennett, Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt, Larry Elder, or Michael Savage, to point out Kerry's propensity to lie. We had a liar in office for 8 years of the '90s. As President Bush said, "We've turned the corner, and we're not going back!"
-- Bill Kearney
Knoxville, Tennessee

WISHING WELL
Re: Hunter Baker's An Off-Keyes McCainiac:

Kudos to Hunter Baker for sticking up for Alan Keyes. There is no need to apologize for Alan Keyes -- he believes in conservatism and sticks up for it. His willingness to speak directly to the issues and give the Democrats what for will make an interesting race, highlight the issues and who knows...if Mr. Bush wins the election...and by a wider margin than we dare to hope for...and carries Illinois...My my.
-- Dave Taylor

You're dreaming if you think that the bombastic (but brilliant) Mr. Keyes will win in Chicago. Not in a million years! Dream on. Besides, the man's voice is a total turn-off.
-- ARJ

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, Barack Obama, Business, Islam, Law, Iraq, NATO, Africa, Conservatism, Oil, Unions