A Reader: “Perhaps I’ll be dismissed as a defeatist or wrecker but you

surely are not deceived by this pablum offered at the GOP convention? These

conventions, staged by the Republicans & Democrats, are pre-programmed

infomercials in the same category as ads for miracle diet drugs and exercise

equipment.”

Well, yes. So? I can’t thelp but think that this reader is missing some

important point.

Remember the original “Rocky” movie, where the world heavyweight champion,

Apollo Creed, wants a bum-of-the-month to keep his name in the headlines,

and picks Rocky Balboa — who proceeds to take the whole thing very

seriously indeed? As Creed is flopping down in his corner after far more

rounds than he had expected to have to fight, his corner guy complains

angrily about Rocky: “He doesn’t know it’s a damn show! He thinks it’s a

damn fight!”

I think my reader is suffering from the same delusion as Rocky. It’s a

show, and that’s fine. After the show, the fight will resume.