TUESDAY's LETTERS: Introducing a New 'E&P' Feedback Feature

By: Greg Mitchell Letters, we get letters, we gets lots and lot of letters. Those old enough to remember the Perry Como TV show will recognize that refrain, but it certainly holds true here at E&P decades later. The problem is, the "letters" section at this Web site is pretty much buried up there in the site index (this will probably come as a surprise to most of you reading this).

For months, we posted some of our letters there but always had the sense that few readers found them. So a few weeks ago we pretty much discontinued doing that. But that's certainly not a solution.

When we launch our new blog in September, publishing a lot of feedback will no longer be any problem. Until then, or until we are able to set up a more prominent letters feature right here on the home page, we will carry a daily entry in this spot, called, variously, "MONDAY's LETTERS," "TUESDAY's LETTERS" and so.

We will add letters as they come in, at the top, so check back every few hours, if you wish, for the latest update. Or, blog-like, you can respond to a letter you find here.

Here's a startfor Tuesday, most recent first, with many more to come.

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Why should McClellan answer the jerks when the New York Times has ALL the answers?

Ray Evans
Dallas, Texas

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This would be such an opportune time to start asking Scott McClellan about the Downing Street Memos. You're darned right they have a credibility problem! The press was magnificent in their grilling over Rove, now if only they would do the same thing with questions about the memos. The American public and the troops in Iraq deserve the truth.

Victoria Love

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Regarding the Cleveland Plain Dealer's holding of important stories because they contain illegally leaked information, I think they're missing the point: If the public is well served by knowing the information, then it is a completely different story than what happened with Judith Miller and Matt Cooper.

With Miller and Cooper, there is absolutely no benefit for the public to know the information. In fact, it is damaging to our national security. That is the only reason it is being investigated.

Compare Watergate and Deep Throat to Valerie Plame and Karl Rove. In Watergate, the criminal and the leaker were two different people. There was a crime and a whistleblower reported it. The reporter and the whistleblower were never reprimanded.

With the current situation, the criminal and the leaker are the same person. The crime is the leaking itself. If the story is true, Karl Rove is not a whistleblower, he is a criminal.

If PD has a story about a crime that took place, the reporters should not worry about going to jail if they report it. That is their job. If there is a benefit to the public to know the information, they should tell us.

Gary Beckwith
Richmond, VT

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Since Scott McClellan gave the Karl Rove no-comment answer in the initial minute of the briefing segment you quote, and since there were many important subjects to ask about (homeland security, etc,), do you think the press is wasting its time and credibility -- if so, as a commenter on the press, why are you not chastizing the press corps for its behavior? Perhaps you have a left wing bias?

Paul Schlereth

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Thanks for the transcript of the grilling of McClellan on the Rove issue. It's a classic of non-responsive dodging. The White House is obviously finding it difficult to spin this one. It appears one back-stabbing that may end up in Rove's backyard.

Roldo Bartimole
Cleveland, OH

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Thanks sovery much to whomever asked that official White House propagandist all those pertinent questions concerning prior claims "W" made about punishing the guilty on his staff in the Plame matter. Americans are sick of the looters and traitors running rampant and unchecked by even the media. Could we now have some questions about the Downing Street Memo?

Boyd Ranchitos