Imagine this. Instead of fighting corruption the old-fashioned way, why not try something completely unorthodox: Fight corruption by being corrupt? Get your bullish girlfriend a six figure salary at the agency you head (at tax payers' expense), while beating poor countries over the head to cut back on spending for social services.

Wonder what Wolfowitz will be doing next? I'm sure that Bush & Co. will find something new and exciting for this innovative genius to do. Just wonder how much corruption we can take from this "Christian" administration.

Barry Bonds is not the only athlete accused/suspected of steroid use. Let's not forget those bicyclists who humiliated themselves recently. I wonder if you (Kaufman) and others like you are as worried about the other steroid-toting athletes, as you claim to be about Bonds. Hopefully, some other athlete(s) will come along who will arouse similar suspicions so that the obsession with Bonds can end and we can move on to the next guilty-until-proven-innocent jock.

If Mr. Bonds is guilty of committing a crime, try him, find him guilty and put him away. Otherwise, let's move on from this obsession with Bonds' alleged shortcomings and try to enjoy the great sport called baseball (something I have not been able to do for many years).

"They attacked us before" -- on 9/11 -- "and they will attack us again" if we don't fight on until "victory."

Isn't it sad that soldiers are mouthing lies to support an unjustifiable war in which they are quagmired? Who is the "they" that attacked us before? Did Iraq play any role in 9/11? Even Mr. Bush says no. So why did we attack Iraq when they were not the "they" that attacked America? The American public has been given so many reasons that I don't know which one to believe, if any.

The best way to "support our troops" (such a nice bumper sticker) is to get them the hell out of a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 as soon as possible. Unfortunately, getting out is easier said than done.

Bad Son,

Please get a grip. There is nothing wrong with your parents being Republicans. Republicans are (mostly and horribly) wrong on many issues, but they're not monsters. You say that they raised you well, sent you to college, etc. Why not love them for being good parents and set your political views aside?

You sound like a spoiled brat who needs to recognize that your parents' politics has nothing to do with how you should treat/interact with them. They are your parents - regardless of their politics. Be grateful that they are alive and that you can still share time with them.

Get out more - meet people. Believe it or not you can be best buddies with people and NOT agree with their politics or religion. It's called maturity.

But the substance of the article has been said before. The Democrats should be inclusive for all races, classes, religions, etc. The Democrats, however, should not be a party that caters to racists of any kinds. Ditto for religious bigots.

If "White boy" means confederate-flag toting, anti-Black, anti-gay bigots, then of course the Democrats should not pander to such.

At the same time, the Democrats should not be pandering to extremists of any race/religion.

Surely, there is a middle of the road that can attract people from all groups into one big tent. And the Dems should be such a party. Republicans will continue to shrink if they cannot reach out to minority voters, who are becoming a larger part of the electorate and may become the majority (as predicted by demographers) by the middle of this century. Those are the simple facts.

When Robert Blake (Baretta) was found not guilty of shooting his wife to death, I didn't see anyone running around upset.

Now that Phil Spector's jury has hung on charges stemming from the death of a woman in his house from gun shot wounds, I also don't see anyone running around upset.

I guess it is only when a Black man kills a White woman that everyone goes nuts.

I will save my anger for the "Jena 6" who are facing life sentences for a school yard fight (the White kid walked out of the hospital on the night of the fight to attend a party), and other real outrages.

Thank goodness that it finally appears that some Americans have got some sense. I truly believe that Obama is going to go all the way. Hillary better stay up late into the wee hours and dig deep in her bag of tricks to come up with something to stump Monsieur Obama. Same goes for the Republicans.

Go OBAMA - All the way to the White House!!

I understand that Mr. Skinner had a principle not to pay for any slaves, but I am very disturbed that he didn't lay that principle aside and find a way to rescue the girl with Down's Syndrome. I can't imagine leaving someone like her to such a sad fate. Not trying to be judgmental as he did tell the useless police. I guess the good thing is that he has brought this nightmare to the forefront - if only for a moment.