To a great extent, politicians in this country are what we made them, and what we allow them to be.

I did not agree with his position on the war, but I respected Howard Dean and he almost single handedly gave the Democratic party its backbone in the election just past. I have liked listening to his interview on Fresh Air.

As for our politicians, they really run the gamut. Pretty much everyone respects John McCain. I think Tom Delay is a low form of life. Karl Rove is a great example of an American political competitor, mean as he has to be, full of ideas and never to be left unwatched. In other words, Dems are jealous.

In the long range of American History, I don't think we've changed that much, and frankly on the whole we've changed for the better. Republicans and conservatives used to be on the 'racist' side of the equation. Those days are done. We've got problems but we're none of us quitters.