From a friend...

Read more »

Of course the Speaker is well within her rights, and tradition, to make herself acquainted with foreign leaders, and in particular to become informed about such problematic areas as the Middle East. The attacks on her are still another attempt to change the subject from Iraq to anything at all.

The subject won't let itself be changed. Senator McCain, who I admire and like in many ways, has, I fear, doomed his campaign by tying himself to the sinking ship of the Iraq war. Governor Romney, obviously the most formidable of the Republican candidates based on brains, money, looks and outside status, runs the risk of making the same blunder. Other Republicans, especially those in the Senate and the House, will find that they simply cannot stay in support of this occupation through November 08. The White House won't like to bring the troop force down, but they will have to start that process before the election. And the Democrats will be obliged to continue to press for withdrawal. All that because of popular opinion. Democracy, for all its flaws, has one big thing going for it: the people feel empowered, and that makes their opinions valuable.

Please send DVD of Gore's Inconvenient Truth to Justices Alito, Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas.