Hardly a deliberate lie. Harry Belafonte's logic in the specific argument may be wrong -- but it is obvious to anyone even at the simian level that Colin Powell provides a great deal of cover for a Republican President whose party's ethics currently are somewhat to the right of Augusta National Golf Club. I think there is mutual kneeling and asslicking going on (which raises a Monica Lewinsky vision of a different sort). What Powell thinks he is doing among these disgusting reptiles is an open question that can be rightly asked. What any decent person would be doing among these reptiles is an open question. He seems to be a decent enough sort of person -- in fact, he is a relative of mine (true!), so he must have something going for him. I suppose the real question is: what is the nature of his ambition, and why has he picked this route?

yours, Peter T.