THURSDAY'S LETTERS: Bush's Comma, Keith Olbermann, George Allen

By: E&P Staff In today's letters, New York Post's Keith Olbermann treatment gets slammed (as well as E&P's coverage of the incident), others respond to Greg Mitchell's column about President Bush's description of the Iraq war as a "comma" in history.

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Olbermann and Fairness

Gosh, if you're so concerned about the New York Post's treatment of their journalistic "colleague" Keith Olberman, I'm sure you're equally concerned about the abuse that has been heaped on Fox News' Chris Wallace for doing what journalists are supposed to do -- asking tough questions to powerful people.

Honestly, you rush to Olberman's defense and completely ignore ex-President Bill Clinton's awful personal attack on Chris Wallace. Like so many others of your ilk today, you want to be good Democrats more than you want to be good professionals. It's called selling your soul, and it ain't pretty to watch.

By the way, Olberman is NOT a journalist any more than Bill O'Reilly is. They are COMMENTATORS. They issue OPINION. Here's a tip you might want to share with your esteemed staff: THAT'S NOT JOURNALISM.

Now what Chris Wallace does-- conducting research, asking questions, listening more than he talks -- THAT'S JOURNALISM. You should try it.

Debra Fitzgerald



So, Keith Olbermann gets a letter with white powder in it -- and it's a hoax. Who is the jokester who sent it? Bill O'Reilly? But then, according to Bill O'Reilly, Al Qaeda is after him. Now that's rich -- like Osama watches FAUX News. ...

Bill Adkins
Williamstown, Ky.

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Bush's Comma

I found [Greg Mitchell's] article on the Gracie Allen-President Bush connection fascinating. As a member of a UCC Church, I wanted to point out how very ironic it is for our right-wing president to be using this quote.

As you mentioned, our church body urged members to use this quote from Gracie Allen (who may have played batty on TV but was clearly not in real life) as part of our Lenten programming. But it was larger than that. The quote was used as part of our "God is Still Speaking" campaign in support of our contention that everyone, including traditionally excluded groups such as homosexuals should be extravagantly welcomed at church.

As this stance is most likely at odds with our president's beliefs, and as our campaign had to do with God's grace, hospitality and love, it is disturbing that Bush would reference the quote to defend the war in Iraq.

Lisa Firehammer
Missoula, Mont.



Bush's comment about the "comma" was so appalling I couldn't believe my ears. When the leader is so verbally handicapped, we all suffer! The Republicans are stuck with an incompetent!

T. Barr
Scottsdale, Ariz.



Thanks so much for [Greg Mitchell's] excellent article. All those periods should make every thinking person pause, and reflect, and weep for the precious lives lost because of the lies and subterfuge of this shameful (but shameless) administration.

P. Lucas
Grand Rapids, Mich.

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George Allen's N-Word Problem

One should ask if the accusers also used this derogatory word.

Walt Seevers
Missoula, Mont.