Reply #73: Thanks! Here's what I sent:

[DebJ]

Dear Mr. Rather,

I am writing you for myself and for my husband, to say Thank You for having the courage to pursue what you feel is right. My husband is 54; I am 48, and BOY DO WE MISS THE OLD WATERGATE PRESS!!!

For our country to remain a democracy, we must have media that is free to search out the truth, and that does so aggressively. If Benjamin Franklin can see this country from the 'other side', he would be so proud of what you have done and are doing. You are such a source of light right now in these very, very dark media days. I'm sure most days Mr. Franklin is spinning in his grave, to quote Senator Byrd.

We are so sick of Talking Heads....we want the news, the stories, the facts...not all this opinion. I'll form my own opinions, thank you, based on the FACTS. I don't need some Talking Head's opinion, and I don't want it. (I've never included you in this group, Mr. Rather.)

We'd also like to see interviewers pursue the answers to the questions they ask....we are so nauseated by people dodging questions, and the interviewer never has the guts to pursue the question. Gutless, opinionated, slanted broadcasting....this is not what Mr. Franklin so rightly said was critical to democracy.

We love you Dan, and a large group of us here are rooting for you (we're all Deaniacs....so you know how intensely we feel about cleaning up the media!)

I think you are displaying genuine integrity, and it is this we admire above and beyond whatever the final validity of these documents turns out to be. We trust you, (at the moment, ha!) because of this integrity, and so much of America is aching for this right now!

Keep it up. Hold the line.

And we support the right for anonymity of your source. We heard a rumour Mr. Novak feels otherwise....and yet he would not reveal his source, when his revelations risked the life of a U.S. Agent......disgraceful, treasonous, that Novak.

Hope to see you for many more years!

Regards,
Deborah and Brad XXXXXXX
York, Pennsylvania