Bravo to Garrison! I'm a longtime, but occasional, listener to Keillor's radio show, grew up in San Francisco, and worked as an artist and musician there until the late '70's. I loved the place, loved the people, loved the free and liberal attitudes, and have always yearned to go back. My wife and I got frozen in careers here on the East Coast, but would re-locate in a minute.

Keillor is one of the few public personalities who can write well enough to speak for a whole generation, the great bulge of the baby-boomers, and who has the courage to deftly expose the cheap meaness of the Bush administration and its operatives in the Congress. Nancy Pelosi is a tough cookie. Let's support her well. I hope she has the support of gay people all over the country, and serious support at that.

Now if we can only hook Garrison up with Al Gore and Bill Gates, we might have a movement with some juice!

To Steven Boucher-

It's trash! I don't get the notion that jealousy has anything to do with it. Ann Coulter is the kind of skank that, to get attention to all the rejects from the student council, shows all the boys her up-skirt dirty bits. She gets lots of guffaws and nudge, nudge, wink wink from the conservative kids. And they think what she's doing is a good fascimile of courage. She has nothing to say any more. She's finished, and obviously, so is that wing of the conservative Republican party. Party on, Steve Boucher. A third party will serve us all well! Get you out of play.

-Geezer2

"Just jelaous

"I know most of you are just upset that Ms. Coulter is smater, better looking , more succesful, and not afraid of using her first ammendt rights. I don't always agree with her but I respect her , why , because she has the courage of convition something most pundits lack. As far the GOP canadites go not one of them gets my vote from either of the 2 big parties ,why there almost the same. I'm going third party this time and probally from now on .Steven Boucher

-- Steven Boucher"

Isn't Kos on the payroll of the Clinton campaign? I thought I head that about 18 months ago. This isn't a shock, but should be mentioned by any good reporter???

-Geezer2

Sidney Blumenthal once again gets it succinctly right.

My great fear is that in the next few days or weeks, we'll get the final propaganda push from the Bush White House on going to war with Iran. Maybe in tonight's speech. That shoe has yet to drop.

The messages have been inserted into speeches and reports for all of July and August, and I think the troops are being held on bases in Iraq, ready to invade. I can't think of any other reason Bush would risk the wrath of the armed forces on these extensions. I know, I know, politics. Believable enough, but I think he wants to go into Iran, once again without consultation with anyone.

Only the pack dog press claimed that Hilary was playing the victim (Chris Matthews, NBC Newsies). She merely said, up here at Wesley, that going to an all female school like Welsey gave her the strength and courage to run in a previously all-male electoral race. It was a moving statement at Welsey, and the women there absolutely loved it. She wasn't claiming victimhood, just pride in going so far as a female political figure.

Even the guests on Mathews show the next day wouldn't go along with his bashing of her. Kudos to them.

I'm afraid that if she stays on as frontrunner, then the cable press will do an Al Gore on her - - - tearing down the leader with vicious dog bites of half-truths and innuendo. I have to say that by holding up that piece of paper, Russert reminded me of Joe McCarthy's speech in Wisconsin so long ago, "I have here in my hand a list . . . ."

Really, Rebecca - where was the art director on this one? We guys can stand a photo of Bill with all the ladies. Where's you sense of humor? Would have been a hot laugh. Michelle Obama is the one to watch. She's a real person, with a real job, and real opinions - - -all her own!

Hello all-

It was William Bratton who brought down the crime rate in NY by 60 - 70% from 1994 to '96: See this from Widipedia:

"In 1994, William Bratton was appointed the 38th Commissioner of the New York City Police Department by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. He had success in this position, and introduced the CompStat system of tracking crimes, which proved successful in reducing crime in New York City and is still used to this day. A new tax surcharge enabled the training and deployment of around 5,000 new better-educated police officers, police decision-making was devolved to precinct level, and a backlog of 50,000 unserved warrants was cleared. The CompStat real-time police intelligence computer system was effectively introduced and integrated into police working. Police numbers were further boosted in 1995 when New York's housing and transit police were merged into the New York Police Department. Bratton left the job in 1996 after alleged personal conflicts with Giuliani."

I once wrote Bob about an illustration he had done that really hit me as an Art Director. I remember a modest and encouraging response that somehow said, "we can all do that kind of work." He was right, and of course, not so right. HE could do that kind of work, and he could do it on deadline.

I'm really impressed and moved that you all could write so eloquently about him, and with such personal feeling. All Art Directors would love to be remembered this way.

Best to all,

Mike Fender

Geezer2

Zach Trenholm's illustration is a real travesty. Don't you guy's have an editor?? Joan Walsh??