The lie being that the United States is a functional democracy. In all honesty, it probably hasn't been for a while, but that became obvious in 2000. When that election was stolen in everybody's sight, and people didn't get out on the streets and REFUSE to accept it, it basically told the powers that be that they could do anything they wanted, and people really weren't going to do anything meaningful.

I'm glad that people are trying to get senators to stand up for the constitution and for what's right, but that probably won't be enough unless a lot of people get obviously upset. And it's not happening.

I hope something gets done about this, but I can't say I'm confident.

I read a LOT of foreign news. Honestly, you've captured the foreign mood perfectly, except that I think there are several countries where that would have boosted Clinton's popularity. I guarantee that most countries didn't see how this was a POLITICAL story.

I wish journalism had something like the bar, just so Joe Klein COULDN'T call himself a journalist. I can't see any reasonable test he could pass.

I hate getting to these things so late in the day, most of the valid points are already made...but I guess that's one of the things that makes reading here interesting.

In any case, King doesn't really make any valid arguments, and 20 years of experience in the field aren't needed to critique a published report. There.

ss29er - that was one of the funniest things I've read in a long time. Who was the reporter? Is that on-ine somewhere? I'd love to give them the benefit of the doubt, and say that they got the countries reversed accidently, but somehow, I doubt that's what happened.

I think the comment by Ramesh Ponnuru might be the most obnoxious thing I've read in quite a while. No need for a couple of people who comment here regularly to try to pass it, thanks. That wasn't meant as a challenge...

It's not like it's their job or anything.

Seriously, there are so many bad journalists running around the US right now, I'm stunned when I see someone just doign their job, let alone someone exceptional.

I saved reading this list until late in the day, but it was still painful reading. Upsetting. I'm reaching for the Pepto now.

Right here, is a perfect example of why the US is as screwed up as it is. You have too many people who have no idea how to deal with race (whatever race really is, since there's no such thing biologically), and end up cutting off their nose to spite their face.

It's the reason the US doesn't have universal health care, like every other rich country in the world, and one reason why people are continuously voting against their own interests in this country.

The truth is, despite some of the patently ridiculous letters being printed here, racism is an attitude that's slowly dying even in the US. And really, we don't even have a good definition of intelligence, so a lot of what people are arguing about here is noise.

I knew the cartoon would tick off a bunch of people though, which is too damn bad.

Good thing I hadn't had Christmas dinner yet, that Malkin piece would have caused a nasty internal conflict, for sure. Thanks Glenn, I think. :-)

Hume's Ghost, you're totally right. I think I would have had fewer problems with Huckabee's bit if he'd brought the cross out front, although why a cross at Christmas time...wrong celebration.

Merry Christmas to all.

Thanks for this article Joan. The reaction you're getting in some of these letters just shows how much race DOES have something to do with Bonds' treatment.

I think that in any country where this is more important than how you would lead, deserves all of the problems it's suffering.

Aycharaych, you have got to get over yourself. It's not all about you, really. Sometimes people aren't responding to you because they don't care about your point. Sometimes they don't because they don't agree with you, and don't want to get into it with you because they saw what a butchery you made of debate with Kitt earlier. Sometimes they don't say anything because they agree with you and don't feel the need to say anything.

There are lots of reasons, trust me. And believe me, not everybody is looking at the world with your particular prism. I'm sure Mr. Dirks was going for a particular image, and people really cracked out behave vastly differently than someone who's really drunk. It really could be just that simple.

And weren't we talking about FISA here, not the WOD? Maybe, as someone already suggested, you should save it for another thread.

Why is it, exactly, that despite the polls showing most Americans would prefer the Dems to act like they have a spine, they refuse to? If they'd actually taken steps to take the US out of Iraq, or at least shove a stick in Bush's spokes, they'd be way more popular. You know, out in the real world. Do they really think that the Beltway "journalists" reflect what the country on the whole is thinking? Or do they just not care, as long as they don't tick off a few people with money?

It's just so hard to tell if you're making a joke, or if you ARE a joke...I'm leaning towards the latter. It's pretty funny either way.