Bryan Strawser

David Brudnoy, long time host of the David Brudnoy Show on WBZ News Radio 1030 in Boston died a few hours ago at age 64.

When I moved to Boston in January 1999, I knew very little of the culture and politics of the city. It didn’t take me long though to discover WBZ News Radio 1030.. and then only a few days to discover the David Brudnoy Show.

David had almost a calming show sense about him - and it was that voice of his that first drew me to the show. But after listening, only for a few minutes, I realized that he was indeed something special - and it was his intellect that drew me in.

David Brudnoy could interview like no one I had ever heard before. Whether he was interviewing one of the three governors that have served during my time here in the Commonwealth - or an eleven year old child who had called into his show, David made the show interesting.

Much can be said about a person simply by watching, from afar, at how they lead their lives. More can be said about a man with how they face their own death. And David faced his with dignity and a deep understanding of the short time that he had before him…

Deep Peace, David…

It snowed last weekend - here’s a couple shots that the sidekick took of our first snow of the 2004 winter season here in Taunton:

My first Presidential election that I was eligible to vote in was in 1992. I openly supported - and campaigned for - Bill Clinton and Al Gore.

I rapidly became disillusioned with the Clinton/Gore administration - first because of their broken campaign promises in some social areas - later because of their attacks on gun owners - and much later for the ethical issues that we’ve all hashed through far too many times.

By 1996, I was a Libertarian. By the time of the 2000 election, I was voting mostly a Republican ticket, but not always.

I personally disliked both Clinton and Gore by the mid 1990’s. I didn’t like many of their policies, their choices for officeholders (though I liked Janet Reno), and certainly not their ethics. And while I said some fairly nasty things about them - and still do - there are some things that I never did:

• Called them Nazis
• Wore shirts that said “Not my President”
• Openly advocated their assassination (as the Guardian newspaper did recently in the United Kingdom)
• Walked about stating that there would be “blood in the streets” and a “revolution” if they were re-elected in 1996

Yet, today, we hear the same things from the leftists - both in their approach to the current Bush/Cheney administration - and in their speeches/writings should Bush win a second term in office.

Why is this?

Have we lost such respect for the office of President of the United States that we have to resort to such hatred in order to get our point across?

I do not support the Kerry/Edwards ticket and have stated so repeatedly. In a few days, they may win this election. So be it. We ran the good race and lost. The world isn’t going to end, and I can live with this.

If Kerry becomes President and visits my town, I would try to see him, just as if a Republican were in office. I’d stand when he entered the room, I would defer and show him respect, and refer to him as “Mr. President”. See, he’s earned that respect because he was elected by my fellow citizens. I may not like him personally, but I respect the office.

The left doesn’t feel the same. And we’ll see that demonstrated if Bush is re-elected.

Here’s a brief rundown of newspaper front pages this morning celebrating the 2004 World Series Champions: