Dougherty Arts Center
Swanson's Beginning to Think He Has a Column
RECEIVED Thu., July 8, 2004
Mr. Cunningham,
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my letter ["Postmarks," July 9]. First off, if your friends don't care to vote because of the "last election," perhaps it's better that they don't. In the United States, the president is not nor has he ever been elected by the popular vote. There is no controversy at all surrounding the illegal votes cast by dead people in Chicago in the Kennedy/Nixon election. Did they vote after that? I never claimed Richard Clarke was a liberal, I said that he was the darling of the liberals because he came out basically blaming President Bush for the 9/11 attacks. And Clarke himself last week stated several times, contrary to your assertion, that the final say on the Saudis and bin Laden family members being allowed to leave did not come from up the chain of command but was his decision specifically. And please, excuse me if I don't share your opinion about why he quit ... he's getting close to retirement age, he's been in government for more than 20 years, and he had a new book to sell. I would hope you're not suggesting he kept quiet about what the administration knew prior to 9/11 for two years, until his book was out. That wouldn't shine too favorable a light on him, no? Almost like Michael Moore claiming he had videos of prisoner abuses in Iraqi prisons last year but didn't release them because he had a film coming out. That would suggest Moore knew about the abuse but did and said nothing so he could make money off it, no? Anyway, if your friends are concerned, they should vote. Thanks for your time and consideration.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my letter ["Postmarks," July 9]. First off, if your friends don't care to vote because of the "last election," perhaps it's better that they don't. In the United States, the president is not nor has he ever been elected by the popular vote. There is no controversy at all surrounding the illegal votes cast by dead people in Chicago in the Kennedy/Nixon election. Did they vote after that? I never claimed Richard Clarke was a liberal, I said that he was the darling of the liberals because he came out basically blaming President Bush for the 9/11 attacks. And Clarke himself last week stated several times, contrary to your assertion, that the final say on the Saudis and bin Laden family members being allowed to leave did not come from up the chain of command but was his decision specifically. And please, excuse me if I don't share your opinion about why he quit ... he's getting close to retirement age, he's been in government for more than 20 years, and he had a new book to sell. I would hope you're not suggesting he kept quiet about what the administration knew prior to 9/11 for two years, until his book was out. That wouldn't shine too favorable a light on him, no? Almost like Michael Moore claiming he had videos of prisoner abuses in Iraqi prisons last year but didn't release them because he had a film coming out. That would suggest Moore knew about the abuse but did and said nothing so he could make money off it, no? Anyway, if your friends are concerned, they should vote. Thanks for your time and consideration.
Carl T. Swanson
