EMAIL OF THE DAY

“I am a political junkie, as my husband will attest. I am a 33 year old wife and a mom of a 15 month old boy living in a wealthy liberal enclave of Los Angeles called Hancock Park where people go to the farmers market on Sunday, discuss the “plight of the poor” as their nannies stroll their young ones in Bugaboo Frog ($800) strollers on the magnolia tree shaded sidewalks on Fridays, and bash Bush, well, everyday. My husband (much less interested in this election than I am) and I are the only Bush-voters on the block, I believe.
So, here we are channel surfing and when my husband leaves the room to get a soda, I go to CNBC. I like Tim Russert. Well, there you and Christopher Hitchens are having a truly salient and honest Iraq discussion. First off, I cannot believe that Mr. Hitchens isn’t wearing a scarlet letter at Vanity Fair. I loved Vanity Fair: the celebrities, the dishy stories, the politics, the photography. Truly, it has become a Bush-hating guide and the Moveon.org bible (although I can’t really determine who is worshipping who). It is as if they are saying, “If Kerry can’t win this on his own, we gotta at least be unofficial PR managers for him ourselves…”.
Anyway, as you begin talking I think, terrific, a Bush supporter where you never expected one! And then in the midst of your brilliant thoughts, honest assessments, fair criticism and straight talk, I realize that you will not vote for Bush and I wince. I even begin to look more to Christopher to be the lone spokesman for my views. And then I stop. Hold on! Are your views any less brillant because you won’t vote for Bush? No. Are there still areas of agreement? Yes. Are you still clear and focused on the issues? Yes. Am I afraid of the bad news in Iraq that may hurt my candidate?…yes…
I realized Andrew, that I am somehow afraid of it all for an election and that you and Christopher were swimming in a bigger pool of thought. Regardless of the election, there must be leadership, stewardship, and focus for Iraq to succeed. However noble the goal, the success is in the doing. I was so afraid to admit that Bush hasn’t done all the “doing” that I almost shut out a staunch war advocate (in this case) just because he wasn’t towing party line. With new eyes I watched the final 15 minutes and loved them. Here were 2 journalists not discussing some petty quirk of Bush, but policy. You were not slamming Bush at every turn, but admiring the coherent goal and admonishing the failings of the pursuit of that goal. It was empowering as a viewer to watch the optimism without losing the realities.” – more feedback on the Letters Page.