Replies

To Bill O'Reilly:

Thanks for showing your "debate" with Paul Krugman, an obnoxious Times columnist with whom I rarely agree.

Nevertheless, Krugman presented his arguments in a much more reasoned tone and won Russert's contest. What's interesting is that when I tired of watching, I switched to CNBC and caught the whole "debate" unedited. Now I understand why so many call you "Maximus Bloviator." Really, you give FoxNews, and by extension conservatives, a bad name. When you go off the deep end, I have to explain your behavior to my liberal friends. It's embarrassing.

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Further, it's regrettable you did not allow Steve Gardner to finish his arguments. Kerry questioned Bush's military service and the press played it up for weeks. Edwards asked us to spend just three minutes with the Swift boat Vets. If Kerry's service in Vietnam was honorable, certainly the 200 vets that served with Kerry, and signed the letter calling Kerry unfit to command, deserve every bit as much respect.

Let's recall that Kerry has admitted to war crimes in his Senate testimony, though he now claims he went over the top. Perhaps that was not the only incidence of self-serving hyperbole. All Kerry has to do is to release his service and medical records, as Bush has done.

However, the Vets are not running for president. Kerry on the other hand is, and has made outrageous claims about Bush's prosecution of the Iraq War, inter alia. The Swift Vets deserve a hearing better than you gave one member of that group that questions Kerry's honesty.

If there is a pattern of character or integrity lapses that appear to have continued after he left Vietnam, wouldn't it be prudent to know before the election? If you were to watch Brit Hume's Special Report, you might learn something. The charges against Kerry should not be taken lightly.

D. Oesy, NYC