Thank you, fetzermillsjr, not only for your military service to our country but also for your unstinting between-the-eyes-of-the-rabid-right commentary. It is spot on!

Some may say that the neocon/rightie loons who post here bloviate, but, I disagree; I'd say that they "blow-viate"...much like the rest of their ilk who infest the current scurrilous Bushite maladministration.

Whether Senator Clinton or Senator Obama "scored" any points for her/his desire to engage our adversaries diplomatically is, literally, much ado about nothing. It is, more correctly, a case of subtle nuances of the same position.

A seasoned politician such as Senator Clinton may be more reserved in achieving the goals of rapprochement while a greener Senator Obama would wade right in with abandon. Both, however, would encourage diplomacy over confrontation. That is something that the Bush administration has virtually eschewed.

I like both Hillary Clinton AND Barack Obama; they will make a fine pair of candidates: she for President and he for Vice-President. Then, in 2016, after Mr. Obama has had eight years to "season" as Vice-President, he will make a formidable candidate to become President.

Until then, though, columnists and commentators will parse every sentence, gesture and glance of both candidates, trying to ascertain intent and ascribe motive. It would be refreshing to read what actually transpired rather than who perspired.

Once, pre-boarding a trans-Atlantic AirFrance flight to Paris in Philadelphia, I witnessed a TSA screener rummage through an attractive woman's bags, recoil in horror as something began to buzz in her hand, shriek into her walkie-talkie "we have a potentially dangerous electronic object here; call the bomb-squad" and withdraw the object from the suitcase in her right hand.

The woman who owned the bag turned a brilliant shade of red and the rest of us dissolved into guffaws as the TSA screener held high over her head...a large, buzzing vibrator!

God knows, those things can be dangerous...in the wrong hands!

Oh, now, I'm sure those nice little boyz 'n' gurlz who populate OpResearch for the Dems and who make those cute l'il campaign attack ads for our team wouldn't use Freddie's inconsistencies against him, now would they?

Imagine the howls of indignation that would ensue and arise from the Right if/when the Dems dare to highlight, showcase and point out the flagrant flip-floppery of Freddie and his ilk on the other side.

Could Freddie Thompson be "Swift-Lawyered" by 527-groups, et al? Sounds like a case of sauce for the goosed, to me.

Hey, why not Mr. Cheney for Prez? In 2008, we'll have had eight years of a nasty Bush; why not eight more years of a limp Dick?

So? 15-year-old Latinas get an over-the-top celebration of their "coming-of-age" passage through life? So do many Latino boys with a "quinceanero" party. This is news? I've bought many gifts for good friend's Latino/Latina kids turning 16.

Jewish kids get a Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah that is...aside from the religious aspects...usually a huge blow-out of incredible proportions. Been to a bunch of those; bought nice gifts for those Jewish 13-year-olds, too.

Someone else above mentioned "Sweet Sixteen" parties for the Caucasian masses of girls...and, some boys. Again, been there; done that with gifts for those preppy puppies, as well.

The BEST gift that a good parent can give is not a sense of entitlement to his/her child, it IS a sense of responsibility. The best PARENTS inculcate their children with values of service to humanity, to the earth and to their posterity.

THOSE gifts are priceless...yet are the most valuable of all.