And one thing I meant to praise about the Newsweek piece: It told me several things I didn't know, including the fact that Dorismond, who Giuliani derided as "no altar boy" was a) a former altar boy and b) a graduate of Bishop Laughlin, like Giuliani.

Every culture has its sociopaths, including Irish and Italian Catholics, but Giuliani's ethics aren't about ethnic Catholicism, they're all about what's right for Rudy.

I think I'm reading these letters threads more closely because it was so quiet without them!

Ralph, I never made it to high school on Long Island -- I left St. Anthony's in Oceanside in 8th grade. Half my cousins went to Maria Regina, the other half to Oceanside High. No idea which my parents would have chosen, though I did go to public school (Shorewood High) in Wisconsin.

Actually, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We moved to suburban Milwaukee when I was 13, where everybody made fun of my LongGuyland accent. I moved to Santa Barbara to take a job at the Santa Barbara News and Review after college...and who is this that knows about the mysterious and unlikely Santa Barbara years?

Thanks to everyone for their patience with our scheduled maintenance, which kept the letters threads closed for a few hours. Everything looks fine now. Please let us know what you think! It was a very eerie quiet -- Salon just didn't feel like Salon without readers' voices.

To Anonymous, just below: I think Obama did say that, but I don't think he was saying that was his primary foreign-policy qualification to be president. Walter Shapiro has a great interview with him that just went up here a little while ago; read it and tell me what you think.

mredge, thanks for your letter. It confirms my feeling that it would be great to have a reporter look at this story. Certainly I wasn't suggesting people shouldn't campaign in Mississippi. And even 27 years ago I can imagine there were good people in Neshoba County who were happy to see Ronald Reagan.

But given that he chose to use the term "states rights" while there that day, my gut tells me Krugman and Herbert are right about his unfortunate campaign strategy. But now that the Times has run at least six op-eds on this issue (Bob Herbert actually mentioned it in an early piece) it would be great to see a talented reporter take on this story, and talk to all sorts of people, including folks like you who were actually there (no, Lou Cannon isn't the only trustworthy source). It wasn't that long ago, I remember 1980 quite well.

Thanks hquain, I really enjoyed that too. Some people seem to be misunderstanding my point. I'm with Krugman and Herbert (as I say more than once!) but it's not a fair fight as long as they need to write in code, and can't break down Brooks's arguments point by point, or even say they're replying to him! (Unlike those old Village Voice feuds!) That's why I think it's such a waste of time for the Times.

Drew in Delaware, I think that by presenting this as an issue on which there are multiple, equally valid points of view, the Times contributes to a certain cynicism about what the truth is. And I'd rather Krugman and Herbert were liberated to write about the many unfolding outrages of 2007, rather than those of 1980.

farragoNW, I think some of her campaign surrogates have exaggerated the role of gender in the other Democrats' attacks on Clinton, but she herself has not, at least not publicly. What she said at Wellesley was just simple fact: The American presidency has been a "boys club." There isn't one woman in that club. There's nothing wrong with talking about reality.

academyscreamer, I think it was probably two episodes earlier. I was certain, though, in the episode when she's crying in Don's office. I just can't remember whether that was one or two episodes before the finale.

exogeologist, thanks for your thoughts. But I wouldn't accept that torture advances American security, either. So I don't think Hillary answered yes to torture. I was a little disappointed in her answer, too, because I thought you could reject the way Blitzer set it up. What you couldn't do, though, was answer the way Richardson did. Not if you want to be elected president.

LBS, I understand your frustration. Note that I praised Obama's answer, not Clinton's or Dodd's. I care deeply about human rights; I've taken the position that there's no condition under which this country should torture. But I also think we need someone with the political smarts not to get stuck in unnecessary false polarities. Democrats can't give their opponents openings to depict them as soft or naive on national security. Even given the chance by Blitzer, Richardson couldn't come up with Obama's answer? That's just not good.

Madame Marie, I think our General Admission tickets were cheaper than some others, but your comment made me realize: I still owe my sister for the tickets, so thanks! I have been blessed; I saw him in 1977 at Dane County Coliseum in Madison, and he jumped off the stage and danced with me. One of the high points of my life. I hope you get into the pit one of these days, there is nothing like it. I have friends seeing him in Albany tonight, I'll check the setlist on Backstreets before I go to bed.

DAB, one thing I love about him is his stage-play with male band members, especially Clarence and Steven. He and Steven did a duet in Oakland on "Two hearts" so close their lips practically touched. I think he knows and loves that he has gay male fans.

Garry Owen, that's hilarious. I just hope Sid's wife Jackie, a good friend of mine, doesn't see it.