Michael Wilbon: I appreciated your article today, and agree with your points. I have one to add: I see distraction in the responses of Joe Gibbs to sports commentators and interviewers. My opinion is that it takes FULL time attention, like Gibbs has given the Redskins in the past, to be a super NFL coach--to the point where the coach "works" during his sleep. (I think Go=ibbs does this now.) But my speculation is that he is somewhat distracted by competing priorities, such as by his auto racing team and their outstanding efforts and strategies to win. This distraction may be leaving Gibbs with less assertive and sure direction and responses not only to reporters, but to his coaches and players. Gibbs is a great coach--that is for sure, and I admire him, but I think he has a problem now that is being passed on to his Redskins.

Do you agree?
Regards,
Richard
Martinsburg, WV
A long-time Redskins fan!

Criticizing those who now call their vote to authorize George W. Bush to go to war with Iraq a "mistake" is, I suggest, like
calling the failure to pepare Americans for possible war against Hitler's right-wing statists "a mistakle". Precisely the reasons we have a government are these two: 1.to protect the rights of all individuals claimed under regulations-- which the Bush administration is deliberately failing to do by foisting off "deregulation" onto citizens and 2. to conduct a successful foreign policy. the exact opposite of which is to deny the facts of Iraq--no WMD, highly successful international inspections, no need to invade, never a real country, the worst fanatics in the region, no hope of successful occupation, no plan to seal the borders, no campaign to refute mass-murderers claims of being religious, patriotic, etc., etc., etc.
The mistakes made were believing Bushite lies, misrepresentations, brainwashed opinions, exaggerated claims and false evaluations--in short in believing anything a man who slanders his opponents and has not strategic ability to deal with reality ever says. The second was in expecting a paranoid-acting gung ho miltaristic failed one-term governor with no foreign policy nor military experience who had misrepresented, misdefined and lied his way into the Whgite House to keep his word when he said he would wait, allow the inspectors to do their job and invade Iraq only as a last resort for reasons of imminent danger.

I have just read your story concerning Medicaid cuts, and I have to take the time to write and HOPE that all elected Democrats and leaders take note of my answer........DO NOT CUT MEDICAID.......DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO CUT MEDICAID.

NOT ONE PENNY ...NOT ONE *VOTE* OF MINE WILL EVER GO TO A DEMOCRAT WHO HARMS THE NEEDY/MEDICAID USER IN ANY WAY. AND ANY CUTS WILL HARM A NEEDY PERSON OR FAMILY....

I really enjoyed the Alito's use of "lightly" in his statement that he will not "lightly" overrule Roe.
If past actions are indicative of future results, he will actually "heavy-handedly" overrule Roe.
One of 1984's (dubiously) good ideas: trim down the use of language to clear up the gray areas.

"The U.S. military command in Baghdad acknowledged for the first time yesterday that it has paid Iraqi newspapers to carry positive news about U.S. efforts in Iraq, but officials characterized the payments as part of a legitimate campaign to counter insurgents' misinformation."

This is the lead from a story in today's Post.

Why should we be surprised? This sort of propaganda effort has been going on here in the U.S. for the last six years (at least). Fox, WSJ, etc. are obvious members of the "Coalition of the Willing (propagandists)", but the NY Times and the Post have been sullied by some of the same sorts of shill "journalism", as have most other American media outlets.

Some media gatekeepers have been deceived, but many have been willing accomplices.

If this administration does nothing else well, it certainly is effective in shaping and fabricating information and serving it up for the gullible masses. They have learned well the lessons of the "big lie"; tell it often enough and loud enough and it becomes the truth.

And the "Fourth Estate" has been asleep at the wheel (with few notable exceptions) for most of that time.

Fear and favor certainly are not strangers to the American press in recent years and account for many egregious lapses in judgment and in failures to abide by codes of journalistic ethics.

It amazes me how the media, especially the Washington Post-Fabricator, has handled the story on salting pro-coalition articles in Iraqi newspapers as akin to something the reader should be repulsed at. Again the paper nakedly parades its hypocritical leftist agenda. Several of the senior staff at the paper have convienently forgot that during World War II the Post doggedly produced reams of patently false combat reports during the Italian campaign in order to shore up the Armys preferred image of General George Patton, who was not making anywhere near the progress the Post then reported. This newspaper especially sold its soul long ago to the leftist cause celeb du jour. The only problem this time is that in stead of simply stating the story facts as reported, the Post and the rest of the media must twist this story into something uniquely "American Evil" which promotes thier agenda. I am thoroughly convinced that if President George Bush announced that the Republicans had found a cure for Cancer, the Post would no doubt report it as a tax break for the wealthy and promoting evil profits for the drug companies.

Peerless Price was recently released by the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins desperately need a reliable wide receiver beside Santana Moss. Price is only a few years removed from his breakout season in Buffalo. In a rather obvious move, the Redskins should sign Price for the remainder of the season. Washington, with its stalled offense and passing attack, has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Although players like Jimmy Farris have a strong desire to play the game, talent is equally, if not more, important. Price is a known commodity who commanded a multimillion dollar contract with Atlanta.

The Redskins also have an upcoming game against the Cowboys which should provide incentive for Price to play better against his former team and the Redskins bitter NFC East rival. Memo to Snyder: Sign Price or else your Redskins will really be paying the price if Washington can only muster enough offense for yet another losing season.

What's the deal with Denise Fletcher? From Judith Miller's NY Times, to San Diego's new Enron, Sempra Energy, to Jack Abramoff's Unisys? She leaves a trail like a certain Charlie Brown character.

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