Do you know your assignment?

Elizabeth Wilner at the Washington Post compares the parties and how they do business.

Compare that to the Bush campaign's reaction to the "60 Minutes" report about Bush's Air National Guard service. GOP partisans outside the Bush campaign quickly questioned the authenticity of the documents that CBS claimed to have unearthed, while the Bush campaign itself stayed out of the fray. Enough legitimate doubts have since been raised about the documents to shift the focus from Bush's service to CBS's newsgathering judgment.

Her conclusion is wrong, something about maybe the Dems aren't mean enough. It has nothing to do with ruthless discipline, but it does have to do with discipline. Individual dems have no idea how to support their party 'cuz their too worried about their own agendas.

There are thousands of Republican activists who know exactly what their job is: follow the lead of the candidate, don't start your own sideshow. Donate money and time to the official campaign, not a 527. Write letters or blog in support of the candidates message don't promote wierdo ideas. In essence, Be true to your school.

BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL

When some loud braggart tries to put me down
And says his school is great
I tell him right away
Now what's the matter buddy
Ain't you heard of my school
It's number one in the state

So be true to your school now
Just like you would to your girl or guy
Be true to your school now
And let your colors fly
Be true to your school

I got a letterman's sweater
With a letter in front
I got for football and track
I'm proud to where it now
When I cruise around
The other parts of the town
I got a decal in back

So be true to your school now
Just like you would to your girl or guy
Be true to your school now
And let your colors fly
Be true to your school

On Friday we'll be jacked up on the football game
And I'll be ready to fight
We're gonna smash 'em now
My girl will be working on her pom-poms now
And she'll be yelling tonight

So be true to your school now
Just like you would to your girl or guy
Be true to your school now
And let your colors fly
Be true to your school

Rah rah rah be true to your school
Rah rah rah be true to your school
Rah rah rah be true to your school
Rah rah rah be true to your school

Host Says Rather Criticism Got Him Fired

PEGGY ANDERSEN
Associated Press


SEATTLE - A radio talk-show host said Saturday he has been fired for criticizing CBS newsman Dan Rather's handling of challenges to the authenticity of memos about President Bush's National Guard service.

"On the talk show that I host, or hosted, I said I felt Rather should either retire or be forced out over this," said Brian Maloney, whose weekly "The Brian Maloney Show" aired for three years on KIRO-AM Radio, a CBS affiliate here.

Maloney says he made that statement on his Sept. 12 program. He was fired Friday, he said.

"What they have expressed is essentially that my show went in a direction they're not comfortable with," Maloney said.

KIRO Radio's general manager, Ken Berry, did not return a call seeking comment. A staff member at the station said Berry would not comment because it is a personnel matter.

Rather cited the memos, purportedly written by Bush's late squadron commander, in a Sept. 8 "60 Minutes II" segment. The memos indicated the commander was pressured to "sugar coat" Bush's performance and that Bush ignored an order to take a physical.

Several document experts have said the memos look suspiciously like they were written on a computer, not a 1970s-era typewriter. Rather said Sept. 10 that there was no definitive evidence of forgery.

On Wednesday, the network said it would work harder to address concerns about the memos.

Maloney said he had felt free to comment on the controversy and on Rather.

"I really felt he was taking the network's credibility down with him," Maloney said in a telephone interview.

"Talk-show hosts have generally had a lot of independence in these kinds of issues," he said. "Nobody's ever said, 'You can't criticize CBS News.'"

KIRO Radio is affiliated with CBS but owned by Entercom, a national radio broadcasting company based in Bala Cynwyd, Pa.