The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 2 of 10)

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You're right, Vitter's problem really is easily recognizable. While what he's done is hypocritical -- and, yes, he can do better -- he's an imperfect man who unfortunately lives in a mostly adolescent-minded country where most people can't even spell forgiveness, grace and mercy, much less extend any or all of those to someone else, especially public figures. They're umpires in a one-strike-you're-out-game as long as none of them are batting. Even your words essentially prophesy his being branded with a scarlet letter.

And to coin a word "Vitterization"? Come on. If anything, using your convention, Vitter's experienced Clintonization or double Clintonization. He's been Kerry-ized, Edwards-ized, Algore-uses-tons-of-electricity-ized. Perhaps even Ted-Kennedy-ized.

As for RFK Jr., indeed he seems to behave hypocritically regarding corporations. But I suggest that his hypocrisy extends well beyond just his silence on the Bank of America and its contributed funds to the Kennedy Library. He desperately needs those corporations he so despises. Were it not for them, he wouldn't have much of a law practice or wouldn't have much to do at the Natural Resources Defense Council, would he? Nor would he receive his far-too-broad share of the spotlight in the news media, funded by corporate advertisements. Nor would he have all those jets to fly around in. Etc.

p>But why should RFK Jr. do better? He's on a roll, given a pass by the print and broadcast mainstream-media for his hypocrisy because of his liberal lineage, his current politics, his so-called "environmental" stances, his anti-capitalist rhetoric. br> -- C. Kenna Amos br> Princeton, West Virginia /p>

I don't want to poke holes in your youthful illusions about the Kennedys but I am afraid I must. There is another side of the Kennedy family legacy that the baby boomers choose to forget and suppress from public discussion. For most of the family's political life the Kennedys have been enamored with the worst kind of leaders and governments. Old Joe was a Nazi sympathizer. When not cheating in school or on his wife, Teddy was cozying up to the Kremlin leadership. Now, the junior Bobby is great friends with Hugo Chavez, the next Latin American strongman posturing as a Communist man of the people. If you want to show junior's hypocrisy, why not point out that as he calls the Exxon Management a bunch of traitors, he has acted as a spokesman for Chavez's oil business. Even the "good" Kennedys weren't so good. We all know that JFK was connected to the Mob and RFK's idealism seemed to be newly acquired after his stint as the Democratic counsel to the McCarthy committee.

p>And by the way, the push for Civil Rights didn't come from JFK. It came from Vice President Lyndon Johnson. Kennedy himself was more concerned with economic growth at home and fighting Communism abroad. Probably the only two things the Kennedy family did that benefited the country. br> -- Jerrold Goldblatt br> Arlington, Virginia /p>

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