But the bigger point is that it's the American public who puts these people on a pedestal.

This is a little far afield but it brings to mind an experience I had back in the early 80s. I was working for a man who held several extremely high government positions over two administrations. He had returned to the private sector and required both security people and advance people. The advance people would travel ahead and make necessary security and hotel/travel arrangments in addition to ensuring that everything was up to snuf regarding the actual reason for his being there.

I had qualifications for both sides of the job and did it for about a year on an as-needed basis.

There were three of us in this position and while 2 of us were always with The Principal, the third was at the next stop doing advance work. We leapfrogged like this so there was always one ahead and two with The Principal. This particular time, I was with The Principal. We generally had a room service breakfast and went over the day's planned activities since said Principal never knew the details of what he was going to be doing until the day he was to do them. It was below his paygrade to get involved with details, I guess, but it worked out ok.

Anyway, my partner and I were sitting at the table in The Principal's room waiting for him to join us for the breakfast/briefing when out of the bathroom came one of the loudest grunts I've ever heard. Bear with me here because I'm coming to the reason for this post...

At that time, it dawned on me that The Principal was human. He squatted over the crapper each morning and grunted exactly the same as mere mortals.

I have never held another man in awe since. I've met 3 Presidents, been to the Oval Office a couple of times, and Camp David twice and I don't hold even Presidents in awe, much less movie stars or television personalities. They're humans. They all squat and crap every morning and if, when you start to feel awed by them, just picture them hovering over the shitter...grunting. I guarantee that it will cure you of that awestruck feeling.

Who is O'Reilly related to?

Nobody. A lizard shit on a log and the sun hatched him.

Are you claiming inheritance rights?

Glenn is rightly being taken to task all over this thread for his omission of the Kennedys. Repulsive for their hypocrisy, vile for their felonies, andG contemptible for their politics, the Kennedys truly are the American version of inbred, viciously stupid royalty.

But Glenn wants to talk about some little airhead on TV, and this is his column after all, so let's give it a try......

and you should be rightly taken to task for your failure to read the thread before you display your ignorance.

If you will check out the link at my signature, you might be embarrassed...but after looking at your letters archieve, I doubt if it's possible to embarass someone with no brain.

nevertheless, it shouldn't be up to Ted Kennedy's "closest friends" in the Senate to take it upon themselves to advocate for Kennedy's wife to replace her husband, no matter how "close" her political sensibilities might be to his.

That's a good point. It would appear that you are in the right church but have seated yourself in the wrong pew. You can go to Hatch's pew and register a complaint. http://hatch.senate.gov/public/

or, if you would rather not contact Hatch, why not go to Chris Dodd's pew and tell him whatfor. http://dodd.senate.gov/

And, with all due respect, it's a little naive to believe that she isn't interested in the job. Dodd and Hatch would not have made their public statements without some kind of prior permission and consultation with Vicky Kennedy. It makes sense for her to appear reluctant at first - expressing interest right away in the seat would appear unsavory, not to mention too obviously reeking of succession lines.

Naive? Pedhaps you should visit the website of US Rep. Mary Bono Mack and ask her for her opinion about a widow succeeding her late husband. She can be reached at http://bono.house.gov/

The problem here is in fact succession - a narrowing of the spectrum of people with access to the political sphere. If you're not bothered by this, be my guest. But don't call it democracy.

Maybe I'm confused. Didn't the laws regarding succession for these positions originate within each state by either the elected officials of that state or by a vote of the people of that state? Isn't that democratic enough?

Has anyone in the Bush family ever earned something on their own without family connections?

Yes! George W. Bush earned the scorn of millions and millions of people from all over the world.

Does that count?

He also earned a trip to the Hague, all expenses paid.

That surely counts for something.

Glenn: you're a sweetheart!

Glenn just can't stand to see anything said or printed that might make either Bush or Chaney look good.

Glenn---it's hard to see the truth so---grow up you ding-bat!

Thank you for taking the time to register just so you can share with the world the fact that you a moron.

Otherwise, great first post.

“It marks a significant step in the development during this century of international measures against torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment. Ratification of the Convention by the United States will clearly express United States opposition to torture, an abhorrent practice unfortunately still prevalent in the world today. The core provisions of the Convention establish a regime for international cooperation in the criminal prosecution of torturers relying on so-called “universal jurisdiction.” Each State Party is required either to prosecute torturers who are found in its territory or to extradite them to other countries for prosecution.” - Ronald Wilson Reagan