The American Spectator

ON STANDBY
Re: The Washington Prowler’s One Last Smear:

All this liberal blather about Bush and the National Guard is nonsense. For one thing, since when is it a disgrace to serve in the National Guard? Service in the Guard certainly is no guarantee that one will avoid combat. National Guard units now serve in Iraq. Bush had no control over the Texas Air National Guard, and had it been ordered to Vietnam he certainly would have deployed with it. Our political leadership in those days, Democrat Lyndon Johnson and RINO Robert McNamara, insisted on so micromanaging the war that North Vietnam with the aid of the Soviet Union had time to construct the world’s most effective air defense system, one which resulted in the deaths of large numbers of American airmen, and the incarceration of more than 500 others in the Hanoi Hilton, where they were privileged to endure the slimy accusations of such as John Kerry. If the Texas Air National Guard had gone to Vietnam, our President might well have been among them.
— John G. Hubbell
Minnetonka, Minnesota

Someone might ought to check out just why Mr. Ben Barnes left Texas politics. At one time he was a BIG shinning Star in Austin. All of a sudden his “Star Stock Value” dropped to the bottom. His file is not perfect. At one time he was on track to run for Governor of the Great State of Texas. Granny Annie should have a good memory of Mr. Ben Barnes.
— Patty Clark
resident of Texas /Henderson/Longview area.

P.S. What G.W Bush and or John Kerry did before they were dry behind the ears is of little value. What their life has been since they really got grown is where the real picture is. I have raised 3 sons, and none of them had sense to pour liquid pi— out of a boot, without directions on the heel (and you had to tell them where the directions were), until they were past the age of 30.

Should be no surprise that Rather will push the Barnes crap. He’s never been anything other than the Liberal that Bernie Goldberg exposed!
— Fred Edwards

FREE AT LAST
Re: Shawn Macomber’s Jailhouse Reds:

Way to go Shawn! You’re a Made Man!
— Paul Doolittle

Glad to hear he’s out of the klink! But I have to ask, amongst the beads and channel crystals, how many Republican converts did Shawn get for us?
— John McGinnis

Is this something we can shout back at the brain-dead shouting , “Free Mumia”? Oh wait, Shawn’s out… Still, it’ll be a good reply to the Mumiaists. Confuse them even more…
— Gene Smith
Contoocook, New Hampshire
(Glad to see my NH Homeboy is out the clutches of The Man!!!)

SPITBALLS
Re: John Tabin’s Zellotry:

I must admit that, at first, I was a little disappointed in John Tabin’s commentary on Zell Miller’s incredible oratory performance at Wednesday night’s RNC. But then again, anyone who heard and saw the honorable Democrat Senator from Georgia knows that the caning he administered to his political party, and especially to John Kerry and Teddy Kennedy, spoke greater volumes than anyone could possibly muster. Even better than his excellent book “A National Party No Longer,” Senator Miller’s speech had me cheering at the top of my lungs in my family room. I do hope that, after President Bush wins reelection this Fall, he finds a place in his administration for a distinguished gentleman of the caliber of Zell Miller. I certainly would.
— Jim Bjaloncik
Stow, Ohio

In the midst of all the brouhaha over Zell Miller’s address before the RNC by his fellow Democrats, there is one fact that I have not heard mentioned, and that is: The reason Zell Miller wound up a Senator from Georgia in the first place is that our Republican Senator, Paul Coverdell, died while in office, and our Democratic Governor, Roy Barnes APPOINTED Miller to the position.

We citizens of Georgia subsequently did elect him to that position —as well as ousting Democratic “Mad” Max Cleland and replacing him with Republican Saxby Chambliss — and we also unseated that Democratic Governor in favor of our first Republican Governor since Reconstruction, Sonny Perdue. Gosh, I love politics!
— Cathy Thorpe
Columbus, Georgia

YOUNG AGAIN
Re: Reid Collins’s Shock and Awe-Shucks:

I just wanted to let you know about a factual mistake in this article. The South Korean gymnast’s name, Yang Tae Young, was written in the standard Korean style of family name (Yang) and then given name (Tae Young). If the media had followed the “international styling” of “Yang Tae-young,” this would have been obvious.

By the way, I would like to think that the reason Hamm didn’t feel compelled to return the gold was that the videotape also showed that the judges made another scoring mistake in addition to the routine start value. The penalty of 0.2 points could have left Yang worse off than his official final score. (Check out this link.)

In Korea, the media seem to be blaming this issue on Korea’s weak “sports diplomacy.” I think the truth lies more in the fact that the Korean gymnastics team leaders didn’t follow the rules and immediately file a protest on the starting score, the ONLY score that can be challenged. Incidentally, the only pictures they keep showing on TV are of Yang’s dismount from the parallel bars and Hamm’s fall on the vault.
— Kevin

Regarding Paul Hamm’s medal and the whining Koreans. Why is it that they are harping on the “lost tenth” of a point for the difficulty value, but they and the media totally ignore the fact that the Korean would have gained a tenth for difficulty, but lost a tenth because the gymnast stalled 4 times instead of three during his routine. Seems to me that +.10 and - .10 = 0.00, so how does that guy “win”?

I also wonder if the games will keep going if any one country, the U.S. included, became so dominate that it was rare if any other country won.

Yes, I cheer when the USA wins, but it would lose a lot if they always did.
— Jim
NY, NY

I can’t get too upset with America touting the medal its athletes earned in Athens. Perhaps the headline was a bit jingoistic but so what? All winners work hard in their field of endeavor. The granting of medals in the case of the athletes is simple recognition of their accomplishments. I notice Mr. Collins’s name was at the bottom of his essay, as is mine here.
— Jack Meyer
Havelock, North Carolina

WE’RE ALL ARNIES NOW
Re: George Neumayr’s Arnie’s Party:

Without a doubt, the most cogent quotation I have read in the past several years is Mr. Neumayr’s “Schwarzenegger’s speech was about a foreigner who dreamed of running America; the Democratic convention speeches were about Americans who dreamed of foreigners running America.” In my frustration, I have totally abandoned any and all efforts to reason with my liberal friends and workplace associates. The only question I ask them is this one: Can you briefly and succinctly explain to me how a senator who has voted against every program of advanced weaponry in the last 20 years, voted to defund (in part) the CIA, and voted for every increase in taxation in Congress is going to make a “stronger” America? This question miraculously discontinues the conversation, sometimes with hostility, sometimes with resignation on the part of the liberal.
— Joseph Baum
Newton Falls, Ohio

Mr. Neumayr’s critique on the devolution of our two major political parties is on point, but if you really want to see the future face of politics in America, you need only look northward to our friends in Canada where the Tory (conservative) Party’s appeal has been reduced to merely being more efficient managers of the socialist state than the Liberal Party.

If you believe as I do that political parties in a democracy is merely a reflection of the wants and desires of the people to be governed, then I’m afraid more socialism and government programs are on the menu, or at least until the baby boom generation becomes less dominate in our society.
— Jerome J. Brick

You might find Gertrude Himmelfarb’s article on politics and the culture war of interest. It is in the Spring 04’ Public Interest (online for free).
— Marc Epstein

IN TRANSIT
Re: John Tabin’s A False Sense of Security:

I commute daily from Bayside, Queens to Linden, NJ, and back via the Long Island Railroad and New Jersey Transit. Although there is virtually no police presence on the LIRR, every NJ Transit train I’ve been on so far this week has been boarded and inspected by NJ Transit police and NJ state troopers, not only in Newark but in Secaucus and Penn Station NY. Granted, they do not physically inspect bags, but they do make sure that every bag has an owner in close proximity to it.
— Rich Meade

Is anyone else out there on tenterhooks waiting for Attorney General Spitzer to follow through with his warning and begin rounding up those Republicans who dare mention 9/11 at their convention?
— Mike Haire
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

THREE WEEK SQUEAKS
Re: The Washington Prowler’s Kerry Shifts:

It never ceases to amuse me, the spinning of the Kerry camp. It’s amazing that they haven’t drilled themselves in the ground by now, but today they say that “Bush has had three good weeks, we had three good months,” and “our guy wins the comparison” game. Perhaps they should note that their “three good months” and The President’s three awful ones earned them a flatfooted tie, while the President’s “three good weeks” show him pulling ahead rather strongly. Haven’t they noticed yet that the more Kerry talks, the more ground he loses?
— Warren Mowry

Uncontrolled appearances by Kerry have become only slightly more common than sightings of the great auk, he is busy mounting the heads of his hapless handlers on pikes as a new platoon of campaign mamelukes report for martyrdom, and his well-meaning supporters in the streets of New York have made it crystal clear why his party’s symbol is an ass. Unless Bush declares for cannibalism, it’s difficult to see how Kerry can recapture momentum (if he ever truly had it).
— David Carter

So, “Pusillanimous” Kerry has hired “Lefty” Lockhart to fight his Swiftboat battles. Like you, I fail to see the tactical brilliance in this one.

If the voters have any recall of who “Lefty” is, it would be of the shabbily dressed, flat-nosed bully who repeatedly lied for his lying boss, Bill Clinton. “Lefty” carried Bill’s water well: He helped to prevent the wheels of justice from turning Bill out office.

“Lefty” has proven he can keep someone in the White House. But can he get someone there?

(And we’ve been told Kerry is the candidate with the nuanced
thinking.)
— Mrs. John B. Jackson III (Janet)
Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan

Speaking of Howdy Doody, where is John Edwards? I thought he was the human face on the Easter Island senator’s presidential campaign? I see occasional references as to his latest appearances, but no mention of what he said.

He must be in training for the office of Vice President. Show up “somewhere,” shake hands, eat rubber chicken and have his picture taken with the state representative from East Tunafish. It’s also possible that he is purposely being kept in the shadows because it wouldn’t take much to look better than Kerry at this point.
— Jay Ciastko
Clinton, Connecticut

OBSESSION
Re: Jay N. Homnick’s If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fixate:

They maybe obsessive but I don’t know if that is the point.

If I was given the chance to interview both candidates I think I would
apply some job interview techniques:

1) What are the significant accomplishments of your last 5 years?

2) Sir, you are qualified, but why do you want this job?

I would suspect Bush may have an answer. Kerry I am afraid may look like a deer frozen in the headlights.
— John McGinnis

Obsession is a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling.

So, respectfully, perhaps it’s the present unhinged and imbalanced character of the Dems, fueled by their hatred for Mr. Bush and anything associated with or of him-and their self-induced craziness about not being in power and lusting for the return to it-that will wreck their train.

Perhaps, too, it was always unreasonable for them to think they could win. They see that, particularly now that they have only Not Bush and Not Cheney candidates and no articulated vision for America — and this maddens them.

Whatever, is it possible the train jumped the tracks a while ago and the engineer up front doesn’t know it yet?

Or could Mr. Kerry’s dealings with the North Vietnamese in Paris, while he was still a Naval Reserve officer and while the war in Vietnam was ongoing, be the final defect that drives the train over the hill?

Or will that happen when his Congressional career is exposed for what it is?
— C. Kenna Amos Jr.
Princeton, West Virginia

GOOD GUESS
Re: Brandon Crocker’s Mentally Unfit for Command:

Thank you, Mr. Brandon Crocker, for a very speculative (and very accurate) analysis of the basis of J “F-ing” K’s maladies. For a long, long, time, I’ve thought (and agreed with others) that illiberalism itself is a mental disorder; and that the Democrat Party is a snake pit of insanity.
— CGP
Monett, Missouri