That kind of “Dr. K” is spelled without the period, anyway. I’m talking about Charles Krauthammer. I thought of him the other day. In 1995, President Clinton gave the commencement address at Michigan State University. In it, he more or less accused Rush Limbaugh and other outspoken conservatives of sparking the Oklahoma City bombing. I thought it was one of the most despicable things a president had ever done. And, of course, Clinton was back on this theme last week: saying that conservative critics were dangerous and all. (I don’t believe he warned against hysterical criticism of the government during the eight years of George W. Bush. To recall that era of beautifully civilized debate, you may wish to see a piece I did for NR last summer, here.)

Anyway: In 1995, I was just stewing after Clinton gave that Michigan State speech. And I was hoping, hoping Krauthammer would devote his Friday column to it — just take it down, illuminate the sheer offensiveness and gall of it. That morning, I picked up my Washington Post, and saw, hallelujah, that Krauthammer had indeed devoted his column to the speech. I had to hustle to work, though, and hopped in my car. (Was living in Washington at the time, I should say, not New York, as I do now. The only car I hop into these days is a cab, and I don’t drive those.) I did not want to wait to reach the office before reading the Krauthammer column. So I read it en route — but at stoplights only, I believe. And the column was just what I had been hoping for: a perfect demolition.

That same day, I’m pretty sure, I wrote Krauthammer a letter, thanking him for his column and telling him about my experience of reading it. He wrote back, “I appreciate it — but remember: stoplights only.”