[ctdonath2]

"Our best protection is free and open debate."

Yes indeed. Free and open debate makes it possible to figure out who is with us and who is not. Yes, the Dixie Chicks & Gore are free to say nasty things about our leader...and we are free to criticize in return and free to not associate with their ilk.

[katana]

Well, there goes the Tennessee vote (again).

[ThomasMore]

"Our best protection is free and open debate."

That's right, Al! And I choose to use as part of the debate my free and open decision to boycott these losers. But hypocrites like you will never understand this.

[kb2614]

Gore is defending them??

Talk about a career killer.

[amused]

hmmmm....the controversey has largely subsided clearing the way for Al's brave stand. What courage!

[Marysecretary]

Oh, made to feel un-American? Poor babies. Thank you, Lord, that Gored is not our President! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Taiwan Bocks]

We really need to FReep CNN for their international coverage, which has FOR THE LAST FOUR DAYS 24/7 has been pro Arab, pro U.N., pro Iraq, pro Russia, pro Arafat.

[Weimdog]

"Our democracy has taken a hit"

Wrong Mr. Gore. It shows our Constitutional Republic is alive and well. Citizens will always be free to voice their opinions. What some citizens have forgotten is that there are other citizens who are going to disagree, and express their disagreement with their wallets.

The simple fact that Al Gore believes our country is a democracy shows he doesn't think clearly.

[lady lawyer]

With friends like Gore, the Dixie Chicks don't need enemies.

[Yankee]

They're going on the road together as, "Algore and the Douchebags".

[fightinJAG]

"our democracy has taken a hit"

What a dumbass. Our democracy has worked PERFECTLY. The Vichy Chicks can say what they want and the rest of us can say what (and buy the music) we want.

[mewzilla]

Is Algore's personal photog still missing in Iraq, anyone know?

[Fizzie]

"They were made to feel un-American and risked economic retaliation because of what was said."

Let's parse this statement. "they were made to feel??" No, Gore, they presented themselves as un-American.. they weren't made to feel anything. This is the fundamental problem with Gore... it's about "feelings." I want someone in charge who thinks, not feels. 2nd piece of the sentence: "risked economic retaliation because of what was said." Again, no Mr. Gore. He's portraying this as something that happened to Natalie Maine, not initiated by her. This may be nitpicking, but is a true snapshot of how he thinks (feels).

[Dionysius]

I'm remiss in forgetting Al Gore,
The quintessential media whore.
He'd pucker up and smack
The hind-end of a yak
To get himself noticed once more.

[goodnesswins]

"Our best protection is free and open debate."

ONLY if it's Democrats....if it's conservatives then slap and slam them down as racists, homophobes, and any other hateful term they can come up with. I'm beginning to hate these idiots like Gore....but I think the American public is starting to wake up to their hypocrisy.

[Revolting cat!]

It's a tough job, but somebody had to do it - hammering the final nail on the Chickens coffin!

[MCH]

Gore laments the day when the American sheeple could be properly programmed by the elite liberal power structure. Free speech to AlGore evidently means if you don't agree with what you're told, you're supposed to shut up, say yessir, and be happy about it anyway.

[soozla]

"Gore said. "Our best protection is free and open debate."

HEY AL!!!!!....you forgot to finish with ..."in our free and open United States of America".....BUT the Blixie Chicks made their comments to A FOREIGN AUDIENCE ON FOREIGN SOIL.............totally gutless and cahoney-less, JUST LIKE YOU AND YOUR CO-CONSPIRATOR b.j. clinton, AL!!

[octobersky]

Snore. Go away already, SoreLoserMan.

[murdoog]

The hypocrisy here is enough to choke an elephant. I remember the bogus investigation of the American Spectator under the Clinton Justice department, which nearly drove it out of business.

Harassment of an unfriendly publication by the Justice Department is a much clearer violation of the first amendment than a grassroots fan boycott. Al Gore should know that.