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BELIEF i 'jt \ Hh ♦ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2007 4A Daniel F. Evans President Editor and Publisher Julie B. Evans Vice President Lef’s gef serious The upcoming presidential election will prob ably go down in history as having had the longest campaign season ever. What we may hope is that it doesn’t also go down in history as the most irrelevant, given the crucial needs of our nation. With all dues respect to our sister media - tele- vision - one thing that’s going wrong is that the voters are being underes timated by the pun dits and producers both. The assumption behind the most recent debates seems to be that voters are incapable of listening to more than sound bytes, absolutely must have controversy to stay awake, and want to see their presidential hopefuls hurl charges at each other. The big problem with the approach now being used in the televised debates is that the person who is elected President of the United States will not be standing on stages taking jabs at an “opponent.” The presidency does not require arguing with foes in a public forum, any more than it requires making split-second decisions and shooting from the hip with whatever words seem to work with an audience. Television debates may be a test of charisma, but is it charisma that we really need? Television debates may be a good forum for the passing of “litmus” tests on key issues, but the issues that come up often seem to be side issues, chosen specifically for their emotional impact or their appeal to single-issue constituencies. So what are we to do? In a best of all possible worlds, the candidates would be given a little uninterrupted time to state their views on important issues in sufficient detail. We need to know what their values are, but we aiso need to know how smart they are about the meat-and-potatoes issues like the future of the U.S. in the world - both in terms of relations with other nations, and in terms of trade. We need to understand where they’re coming from on the economy, the mortgage crisis, health care and education. We need to know what their priorities would be in making court appointments. We need to know how they would put their cabinets together and find the best possible advi sors. This is the most serious job in the world. It makes a huge difference who is elected. Let’s hope that the media - whether main stream, right or left, will stop treating the presi dential campaign like a survivor show and get serious soon. And we hope that both the candidates and the media will start giving the citizens of this country credit for some common sense. Letters to the editor Pentagon needs to plan exit from Iraq It sounds like our so-called “surge” of troops in Iraq is responsible for considerable, visible progress. Yet Gen. Petraeus has stated that a military solution in Iraq is not possible. By April of 2008 our forces will have been exhausted. So why has it taken more than four years to train the Iraqi troops so that they can train their own troops? Why didn’t the surge happen long before recently? Planning by the Pentagon since day one has been lacking. Now they need to plan an orderly exit before we finally realize it has all been for so little. After all, the Iraqis don’t even want us there. - Frank W. Gadbois, Warner Robins HOW TO SUBMIT: There are three ways to submit a letter to the editor: E mail it to hhj@evansnewspapers.com, mail it to Houston Home Journal at 1210 Washington St., Perry, GA 31069, or drop it off at the same location between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Letters should not exceed 350 words and must include the writer’s name, address and telephone number (the last two not printed). The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject letters for reasons of grammar, punctuation, taste and brevity. Foy S. Evans Editor Emeritus Don Moncrief Managing Editor “Television debates may be a test of charisma, but is it charisma that we really need?” This great UGA running back It’s Sunday night and Thanksgiving is over. Back to work tomorrow. Get my article written so it can be filed on Monday, as is my custom. So, what have I been doing? I’ve been read ing. Not writing. Interesting stuff. I’m confident that what I’ve been reading is not being read by any other in Middle Georgia on this Sunday night, Nov. 25. What is it, my reading material? It’s about this great UGA running back. This freshman phenom. “This marvel ous physical specimen . . . with massive thighs, ox neck, peaked shoulders . . .”. So, you think it’s Knowshon Moreno? It has to be, doesn’t it? After all, Thomas Brown is a senior and Knowshon Moreno is a red-shirted freshman. Yeah, Knowshon Moreno, that’s it. Wrong! It’s someone better than Moreno. At least, what Moreno has shown so far. And it’s someone who played for the Dawgs, 25 years ago. Yes, Herschel. That’s all you need to know, say - like Elvis, Madonna and Ali. Just Herschel. * So, what have I been reading? It’s the Aug. 31, 1981 edition of Sports Illustrated. And, there’s his picture, number 34, on the cover with the ball in his right hand and the words, “Top Dawg, Herschel Walker of Georgia, a Profile by Cuny Kirpatrick”. I didn’t even know I had this maga zine. I was looking through some old, boxed-up material and there it was - this Sports Illustrated magazine in mint condition. I don’t think it had ever been opened before. November leftovers still It’s hard to believe we’re in a new month. Here are some left over topics from November for comment and consideration before we get involved in the rush toward Christmas. Most “experts” are predict ing a “slow” shopping season nation ally, but Houston County could buck the trend. ■ It looks like the possibility of Corder Road becoming a four-lane cross-town thoroughfare between Watson Blvd., and Russell Parkway may be on hold for a long time. Resurfacing of Corder Road, which is under way now, pretty well tells us that this project is on long time hold. A decade or more ago some land was acquired for the anticipated widening of Corder Road, but it hasn’t happened. A new connector road, extending Corder Road, from Russell Parkway south to Houston Lake Road, is ready to allevi ate traffic in that area. ■ Speaking of traffic, opening of the new Kroger, pff Watson Blvd., behind Outback Restaurant, has created the most dangerous situation I have seen. Entrances and exits from the shopping center surely will see many accidents and, possibly, fatalities. I was shocked and frightened a few afternoons ago when my wife and I tried to turn into Kroger from the east bound lane of Watson. There were cars trying to get into Watson, enter it and cross to enter the shopping center while a steady stream of vehicles roared by. Actually, I was terrified. I wanted to turn around and Columnist lwalker@whgb-law.com |HIA| I know I had never read the article about Herschel. I guess someone gave me the magazine, like they used to give me things when I was in politics, and I just put it aside and never read it. Like I say, I didn’t even know I had the magazine. And, so I’ve been reading, and I have the luxury of hind-sight as to how good Herschel really turned out to be. The Heisman Trophy and National Championship. And, Curry Kirkpatrick is right on with his predictions. But, that’s not really what impressed me.‘What I found to be most interest ing was some of the things Kirkpatrick had to say about this boy-man. About his character and what kind of person he was. Since I’m sure that few of you have the magazine, let me share some of Kirkpatrick’s words with you. “So why all the hulabaloo over Herschel Junior Walker, 19, and never been hissed? Why . such astonishment about his poise, intelligence, charm, graciousness, humility, charisma, and his ability to put together more than go home. A small gap occurred and we raced across Watson. I am not a thrill seeker, so I will avoid that intersection again. But all day and part of the night there will be hundreds of motorists risking their lives. I would feel safer parachuting from an airplane. ■ Some members of congress are talking about “reforming” Medicare. They can’t be listening to the seniors that I know. I can’t find anything wrong with Medicare as it presently exists and my aging friends feel the same way. We are not talking theory. We have used it for many illnesses and surgeries and find it to be a good program just as it is. Any tinkering with Medicare can not improve it but surely would make it less beneficial. Medicare, combined with a good and reasonably priced supplemental insurance policy, pro vides wonderful hospital and medical protection. ■ If lawmakers want to do some thing useful they can change the dis graceful prescription drug law, which was written by the insurance and drug manufacturers for their benefit. The HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL two words at a time? . . . Walker’s endearing way with people ... He was, and is, a child of the old South, pos sessed of all that implies - gentility, courtesy, devotion to Sunday School, punctuality at supper, loyalty to home and hearth ...” I never saw Herschel strike a Heisman pose in the end zone. I never saw him slam the ball to the turf after making a spectacular run or dance a “look-at-me” dance. He just put the ball down or handed it to an official. In short, Herschel had class. I had forgotten just how much class, as I have grown numb to athletes’ antics, and until I chanced upon this 26-year-old article. I’d also forgotten that Herschel was a poet until Kirkpatrick’s article. This was one Hershel wrote in high school. ‘7 wish they could see The real person in me Someday I reckon they will know I’m not only here for the show. ” No, I wasn’t reading about Knowshon Moreno, as good as he is and can be. But, I could be reading about him 25 years from now, if he will learn lessons of and practice humility and gentility and poise. If he will recognize that he’s not at Georgia just for the show. And, if he continues to improve and practices Herschel’s lessons as well as football, perhaps 25 years hence we’ll be talking about and reading about Knowshon - just like Elvis, Madonna, Ali and Herschel. plenty good so-called doughnut in coverage is a trap that can be financially devastating to moderate and low income seniors. Private prescription drug coverage was much more desirable before the gov ernment got involved. ■ There’s another “peace confer ence” for the Middle East, involving Israel and Palestine. The news is posi tive for a peaceful settlement. Haven’t we heard that before? Remember the rose garden accord engineered by President Jimmy Carter? The terrorist Arafat, representing the Palestinians, received the Nobel Peace Prize. President Bush is hoping the pres ent agreement will make it possible for peace in the Middle East to become his legacy. No chance. Nothing less than eliminating Israel as a state will please the Palestinians and other countries in the area and any agreement today must be looked at as what It is - stall ing tactics. ■ Warning: If you plan to buy a new cell phone or change carriers check to see if you can receive good coverage where you plan to use it. I was thrilled when I was given an iPhone for my birthday. I immediately signed up with AT&E for service. After signing a’two-year contract I learned that AT&T service where I live is marginal at best. I was beset by the kind of dropped calls they talk about in commercials. I need completely reli able phone service and, even though I loved the iPhone and all its features, I changed carriers for simple reliable cell phone service.