HOME / the breakfast table: An e-mail conversation about the news of the day.

Allen and Stein

the breakfast table:
entries

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

So Long

By Herbert Stein
Posted Friday, Sept. 18, 1998, at 3:46 PM ET

Well Jodie,

RSS

I'm afraid I don't recognize any of the recent songs that your young people suggest as musical accompaniments to the Clinton tape. The best I can offer is "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes".

Anyway, the sun has come out in Washington and this day no longer looks so gloomy.

I am not going to argue with you about George Soros' plan. If he wants to set up a fund to insure foreign investment he can do it. He surely doesn't need my approval and I don't think he needs the government's approval. Anyway, I have learned in many years of practice that arguments about economics never come to an end, and this dialogue must come to an end.

One reason it is so hard to find good news in the papers is that we look only at the first page. For example, the New York Times today has two pages devoted to the life and works of George Gershwin, whose 100th birthday will be celebrated next Friday. That is good news. We were blessed with a genius whose works have raised the spirits of millions of people for the past 80 years and will continue to do so for many more. That good news is on Pages B4 and B5.

Much of the good news is not on Page 1, or not in the paper at all.

So long, Jodie, it's been fun talking with you at the Breakfast Table, and Happy New Year to all, whether members of the covenant or not.