Thanks for your letter. I did know about the Hickel connection. But the facts in my piece are still facts. Selected facts, out-of-context facts, inflammatory facts, yes — but if Obama were running a campaign like McCain’s, he’d go right ahead and use those selected, out-of-context, inflammatory facts in a negative ad.

Sincerely, Hendrik Hertzberg

Hendrik Hertzberg
The New Yorker
4 Times Square
New York, NY 10036

—-Original Message—–
From: themail, TNY
To: Hendrik_Hertzberg@newyorker.com
Sent: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:38 am
Subject: FW: letter to editor re: Hendrik Hertzberg, Talk of the Town, October 20, 2008
Forwarded Message
From: Steve Conn
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:22:44 +0000
To:
Subject: letter to editor re: Hendrik Hertzberg, Talk of the Town, October
20, 2008

You praise the Obama for not using a ³true² smear about the Palins¹
association with Alaskan secessionists. Consider the facts: The bombastic
founder of the Alaska Independence Party, Joe Vogler, 80, was murdered by a
burglar for non-existent gold buried in his cabin, not ³ in connection with
an informal transaction involving plastic explosives.² Alaska¹s second
governor, Republican Wally Hickel left his post to became Nixon¹s Secretary
of Interior, banned offshore drilling after the Santa Barbara oil spill and
quit his cabinet post after the Kent State Massacre. He ran and won for
governor again, this time, on the AIP ticket. When they finally met, Hickel
chased Vogler out of his office, ³brandishing his office stapler like a
club.² (from the official party web site). Maybe Obama did his homework.

Stephen Conn
Retired Professor, University of Alaska
1933 Sanders Court
Point Roberts, Wa. 98281
360-945-5006