Marjorie C. — Having read the interview by Charles Gibson with Sarah Palin, it is a pity for you that Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd aren’t still around. They would offer appropriate alternatives to you in terms of the type of intelligence you seek in your candidates. Of course, there still is Pinocchio, a logical successor to George W. Bush and a logical surrogate for John McCain.

What did you think of Abraham Lincoln’s stewardship of the presidency given his similar lack of experience? And do you, in reviewing history, believe James Madison was ready “on Day One to be commander in chief?”

We can look at the GOP vice presidential selection this way: Speaking politically, Sarah Palin will do for the female gender what George W. Bush did for the male gender.

What is your view of Abraham Lincoln’s stewardship of the presidency given his similar lack of experience? Was James Madison ready on “Day One to be commander in chief?”

Aren’t all the blue collar workers now in China, India or Mexico? Aren’t the white collar workers going to follow them? China says it’s going to stop importing white collar workers since it graduates 300,000 engineers to 75,000 each year in the United States. I thought it was older women who were Obama’s problem, and an elderly lady friend says she doesn’t understand what their attraction to Clinton is. Does anyone here understand it; that is, having heard it from an elderly friend or grandmother or something like that?

Leslie Stahl: I’m sorry I meant George H.W. Bush, not George W. Bush. I cannot imagine a two-hour interview on “W.” Well, I can but I see myself snoozing.

Leslie Stahl: I just want to say I read with care everything you write. Why? Because the best political interview I ever saw was a two-hour interview a decade or so ago of you by Charlie Rose on the presidency of George W. Bush. Obama snooty! You know, those people don’t know how to stay in their place (sarcasm). As the two-time Pulitizer Prizer winner Relman Morin of The AP once wrote about people in the south: “They will tell you they like the blacks as long as they stay in their place.” And it is clear their place is not to come close to being eliist. That’s reserved for certain white aristrocrats with old money.

I live alone — and, basically, I love it. I’ve never been bored or lonely for one instant. My imagination is too active; my memories too sweet. I date rarely. I didn’t want to post on the serious question of discrimination against women. But I did muse about whether it is sexual discrimination if the most appealing women some times reject me on the grounds that I may not be good enough. I feel a little these days like Groucho Marx felt about admission to a club. I am uncertain I could respect the woman who would put up with me. That is to say that I have developed habits from being alone that might or might not be tolerated by any other human being. But they are my habits, and I embrace them. I’m not against people. And that’s another thing. I used to be against people on the New York subway and it wasn’t fun. Oh, well…this could be an entire biography. If I’m not bored, why should I visit it on others — and that’s another thing about constant company.

Is this question worth considering: Is there more mutual respect or mutual disrespect in the lengthy discussion of this topic? And why?

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Bill Moyers, one of the most intelligent and reasoned voices in the media, was forced off PBS, because of his alleged political provacations. He is back, thank heavens! Olbermann is the lone exception to the rule of right-wing rule of the air waves and of most newspapers and magazines.

There are many laws on the books to prevent anti-trust and monopoly practices. But they never have been enforced against the media, because of its power. The newspaper industry was the only industry in the country allowed to get away with using child labor — and outdoors in dangerous urban areas in the wee hours too. The Congress and Justice Department allowed so-callled joint operating agreements between major newspapers in cities with the consequence that a kill-or-be-killed battle began until most cities were down to one paper. Laws such as the Clayton and Sherman Anti-Trust Act and the Robinson-Patman Acts were ignored. The air waves were considered public property, and they were treated that way until about 30 years ago. There used to be an “equal time” requirement for viewpoints expressed on radio. Now, radio and right-wing are synonymous except for the internet phenomenons like Air America. And Rupert Murdoch has continued to run amuck. Yet, the worst feature is that the electronic media has dumbed down the entire American population as good journalism is hard to find. And the New York Times just reported record losses. Without some political intervention, it will get worse before it gets better.