I guess it's all Dan Rather's Fault

I don't know today why I got so worked up that I felt I needed to write a letter to my Congressman about the Dan Rather/CYA Letter RE President Bush's Reserve Service issue that's all over the television these days. Actually, I do. I have been angry about the coverage that the major networks have been giving the issue. (Can't help lovin' that Fair and Balanced Network.) Somewhere along the coverage crapola, I became incensed that one of the CBS news reporters would have the role of moderator at the first of the upcoming candidate debates. (I find myself sarcastically talking back to the televison frequently these days.) It just made me crazy to think that, of all people, now a member of the news organization with its credibility in question would get that kind of control over the purportedly non-partisan debates. Surely, the organizers would make every effort to not appear biased. Yeah, right. At this point, I decided that it was time my Congressman know how I feel. Both my husband and I have spent some time employed in our County's Government--in appointed and Civil Service (They were the good old days!) positions. I know our Representative and his voting record is a pretty good one. Since 1980, I had seen myself as a socially liberal, fiscally moderate conservate Democrat. Lately, I have been having a political identity crisis. I find myself drawn to conservative radio talk show hosts and their philosophies. Eight o'clock PM no longer is the beginning of "Prime Time TV" for me--it's the time I get home to watch The Factor. I have eschewed Harry Smith and his blatantly biased accounting of Iraqi War events. I now watch not only Fox and Friends 1st but also Fox and Friends. I love Dennis Prager and I'm thinking it's not so crazy to belong to the Paul Revere Society. I don't always agree with everything I see on the Fox News Network, but I have to tell you, it is the only place I can find out information about current topics from both sides. I'll stop short of making advertisement for the network, but not too far short. I get a fair and balanced news report from the news shows and I get interesting guests and commentary from the other shows. And I get to see HOW both sides think about each issue. My own experience in the arena doesn't hurt either. What I've learned over the years about the way things work does not jive with what the network news reports. What Fox News reports does. Pretty simple. So, in frustration mostly, I wrote to Rob Andrews about our Party (I'm still a registered Democrat and an Optomist, obviously). Here's my tirade. Letter to Rep Rob Andrews (D) NJ
Dear Rob, I don't even know my Democratic Party anymore. I'm extremely unhappy with the Kerry Campaign and the sloppy, ineffective, and unethical way it's being handled. Additionally, there seems to be blatant disregard for the safety of our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, disregard for honor, truth, the whole nine yards. There seems to be no respect for anything--not the Office of the President, not us the Party members. I really hope some sanity will prevail and the Party will just step back and get out of the way in the greater interest of this Country, and the future of us all. I don't presume to know exactly what happened with this most recent debacle: the Dan Rather/Democratic Committee foolishness. The searching into President Bush's military records for minor events (physicals met or not met, requests for leaves taken or not taken, and so on) is beyond ridiculous and simply does not play well. It makes our Party--yours and mine--look petty and filled with nothing but vengeance and self-interest. I've seen the dirty tricks squad in action--up close and personal--and if you actually read this, you'll know I know what I'm saying. But, I have never seen anything like this embarrassing display. This team stinks! And they make me ashamed to be a member with them. No honor, no manners, no intelligence, no respect, no forethought, no platform, no nothing. Why not just tell them to quit and go home? I can't wait until 2008. Now we've been dragged into the unethical situation with Dan Rather (and God I hope no Democratic Party member's prints are on any piece of this mess--including his daughter Robin's). They've held us hostage for two weeks, knowing all the while what the messy facts were. Now CBS is insulting the public with lame explanations. The two factions in Kerry's camp better get it together soon. And for the record, I hope you force the issue that no CBS correspondent have any part in monitoring the upcoming debates. If I were the DNC, I wouldn't even talk to CBS until after the debates. I had barely recovered from McGreeveys bombshells. It's not enough that he too has embarrassed us around the world and paraded his poor suffering family out in front of God and the world to help HIMSELF look better. He's also obviously committed untold number of crimes while in office and further defamed his Public, Party, State, and Country. It's just one stinking revelation after another. OUT DAMN SPOT--our hands are bloody, for Heaven's sake!! We should wake up and smell the coffee--and do the right thing for a change. Trust me--doing the right thing would feel a lot better than winning this way!! Come on! Make me proud again! Sincerely, Your constituent