Dmagnificent, I thought about that too -- that it's really a challenge to Republicans, not a promise to lay down to get that number of votes. We'll see! I think the appointment of Panetta the same day made me feel more confident that it could be more your interpretation than Krugman's.

Lestat1 and sonofloud, you're not required to read EVERY blog post to comment, but it's worth noting I've been quite critical of the Caroline Kennedy movement as well.

I loved it. Marisa grew up, and so did her mate. Life is hard, marriage is harder; how can people criticize this story, seemingly based on the first half?

Wow, bigguns, what are you trying to say: "At your age, Ms. Walsh..." Um, I guess I'm kinda old, in Internet years...but hell, I'm not dead! Of course none of us can judge anyone's life until it's over, but the arc she described is promising and kinda sweet. Why are people so punishing?

To Marisa, her supporters, and her critics: Good luck with all of your relationships, whatever they are. From my aged vantage point, according to bigguns anyway, I can say: Love is the answer.

bigguns, what s silly question: what's pushing my protection of younger female writers, who get beaten up in letters threads like this?

Love and kindness, of course.

I won't even go into your last post, which actually had a couple of good points in it. Of course we should all talk more, about painful issues like money and family, before we mate or procreate -- but if we don't, love is the answer.

bbd, I am so sorry about that! I hope he keeps to himself.

rnostbakken and something stinks...well, I was just doing my job! But thank you, because it was painful.

wishiknew, nobody edits my blog posts unless I ask them to, and I partly wished I'd asked someone...but even now, as I think about whether I should pull that out and leave a correction, I can't. I feel sheepish because of your message but I read it over before I posted, knowing I might feel sheepish. But I felt I'm not slurring anyone with mental health issues, I'm just stating what I see...he is a troubled man who would be much better off if he was getting nurturing structured help with thinking about what he's done wrong these eight years. Don't you wish?

There was something deeply, developmentally off about the way Bush sounded, and that was the only way I knew to describe it. As other letter writers said, he did sound a little wack and perhaps even drunk -- but I wouldn't say that, myself, since I know he claims to be a recovering alcoholic. I have strange boundaries of decency, I admit!

Xrandadu Hutman, this essay, and the reaction to it, didn't deserve the obsessive bold/not bold XH micro reaction treatment. It's all too nuanced for that. I agree with you and Rosenkavalier on most of these points.

No, XH, it wasn't to me this time, but...Rosenkavalier makes good points. I am trying not to let Rick Warren, or HBO not broadcasting Gene Robinson, dampen my happiness at this event, but...sometimes I worry when I try that, I can only achieve it because I'm straight. I have close gay friends who are Obama supporters who are crushed by all of this. All I can say to Rosenkavalier and gay people who are furious is, I'm sorry. I would like to give Obama a year or so to make the policy changes he can, and hope they are gay-friendly, before despairing. But if you're despairing, I understand why.

Thanks, everybody, these letters have been pretty wonderful. AJCalhoun, I'm happy you've hung in there with me. maureenodonnell, we agree much more than you've (lately) let on. You started out defending me for my Hillary defenses; in this last post you seemed more yourself (or maybe just my picture of you) acknowledging both sides of the Obama phenomenon. And I think Irish-black correspondences, going back to Douglass and beyond, are a huge undertold story.

domini, you are almost always right.

gehgoeson and klytus, keep on keepin' on.

The Literary Thug, a while ago: Thanks for being even more optimistic about white people than I am (and I'm pretty damn proud of a lot of them).

That's all I can do from memory at 1:45 a.m. after three days of much joy and almost no sleep. Thank you all. Yes we shall!

Thanks everyone, I did get home safely! I'm staying with Mark Benjamin and his wonderful wife Karin, and they made me a drink when I got home and we watched all the TV I missed today.

Yes, the work starts tomorrow. But I'm sleeping a little bit late.

AJCalhoun, I am going to bed right now.

But clearly, Klytus inspire-us. I will rhyme more, and better, in the new year.

Thanks for that, Baloo.

Wow, Eric. Thank you.

And yes, I meant to include Colbert King's trashing of Bill Clinton for sitting in the front row of the prayer service. I'm sure Obama invited him and Hillary to sit there. This is a man who is strong enough to work with the Clintons, not fear or shun them. No wonder Republicans are frightened.

Thanks to everyone who's replied, I can't keep up with my letters or my personal email about this. Trying to say thanks when/where I can.

But notebook (and somebody who posted something on this a little higher): Are you sure you've been reading Salon? We, and particularly I, repeatedly talked about sexism against Hillary Clinton, and Sarah Palin for that matter, but particularly Hillary. Ask Xrandadu Hutman and some other friends!