Kathryn: That last one was flippant. (Sorry, I forgot to click on the

“flippant” tag.) I think there is an interesting issue here, though, that

we might debate some time. Viz.: Just how interested in politics would you

want your 15-yr-old to be? I am not sure about this. I would certainly

want a 15-yr-old to know stuff about politics. Indeed, the kids (8, 10)

at the Derb family dinner table are already encouraged to take in some of

the political talk and express opinions about it. On the other hand,

“politics is her life”? No, I don’t want either of my kids, at age 15, to

think that politics is their life. Nor at any other age, come to think of

it. There is a great deal more to life than politics–or there should be.

Politics is, after all, in Jay Leno’s wonderful phrase, only “show business

for ugly people.”