Susan, I too wish Bruce would take the advice of Frank Zappa: “Shut Up and Play

Yer Guitar!” (the title of Zappa’s 1981 album). He won’t, though, and quite

frankly, the band introductions were more turgid than the “public service

announcement.”

I got a ton of critical e-mail about the column, most asserting that Bruce (1)

IS a knee-jerk liberal and (2) as such ought not to be taken seriously. As to

the first, it’s not true; he’s a knee-jerk populist progressive, if anything.

He supported the war in Afghanistan, and he was open to the necessity of war

with Iraq. As to the second, some liberals, even if knee-jerk, are worth taking

seriously. There’s a difference between a Pat Moynihan and a Dennis Kuchinich,

a Bob Kerrey and a John Kerry, even, I would say, Joe Lieberman and Howard Dean.

Moreover, even if Bruce’s speech was not made with the best, noblest, of

intentions, you can still hold him to its logical conclusions. In politics, you

take what your opponent gives you.

But I agree with the broader point you made: He’s all over the map on this stuff

(I think because his blue-collar sympathies with cops and firefighters are

clashing with his progressive roots). I’d suggest that he think about it more,

and be more upfront about what he believes–but I think that I would really be

displeased with what he would end up saying.

It was a heck of a good show, though.