Mr. Warren,

I’m not a player, I’m a political junkie. I mainline C-Span and buy Elizabeth Drew in hardcover. I also enjoy the Cokie Watch , and liked your wit on Capital Gang Sunday. Enough kiss-ass. When I heard that Sandy Hume had committed suicide I was taken aback. The timing seemed strange. He had just signed with Fox News, and had run with a story in The Hill concerning further G.O.P. infighting. Damn, he was nominated for a Pulitzer. Hey, he was 28 and on the make …why would he do this. When you think about it, a lot of reasons, none of them good, but it happens, and it’s sad, and it’s none of my business.

And then, and then, three days later, Bill Paxon resigns. Paradigm shift, quick, he calls it quits. He’s workin’ the phones conjuring up support to go after Armey and Delay and within hours he shocked his staff with some shuck and jive about how he’s leaving public life for ever and won’t even consider a run for "dog catcher." Hey this was no Vin Webber move. Maybe he did just throw in the towel. Maybe it’s true, maybe he does want to watch his daughter grow up. But from here it looked like panic brought on by paranoia and a pronouncement writ large, "I’m getting the hell out of Dodge." Scared straight?

So I’m on the Web, firing up search engines looking for Hume and Paxon. Found a story on Hume’s death in the Post and his Hill. That’s it. Where are the stories? I ask my girlfriend, the lawyer, an equal political junkie, and my better in sensitivity and smarts. Brit Hume, respect for him, give it a week, and the press is all after Monica’s brand of lip gloss, she reminds me. O.K.

Waited, gave it a week, still no stories. Not rumor mongering, Mr. Warren. You know the type, the below the fold in the Stlye section, asking why Washington eats their young and the cost in getting the story. What drove this young man and lets stop and smell the roses. Nothing…Again O.K. …no one wants to put Brit and the family though it… at least not now. Press doesn’t play fair, but I can understand it.

Yesterday, March 6, I‘m searching again and find an obscure links page with a Sandy Hume Headline teaser…..the link takes me to the Jerusalem Post http://www.jpost.co.il/Columns/Article-3.html and in a very convoluted article I read that a brilliant 28-year old D.C. reporter was having an affair with …You read it. I didn’t know anything about the Jerusalem Post, but the lawyer girlfriend, who’s Jewish, (do I hate Passover food or what) and her dad the doctor say hey, it’s a legitimate publication.

So what’s up Mr. Warren? I buy the Trib, every day, and you’re the Washington Bureau Chief, and you argue against hypocrisy in the press. If there’s a story here, and it sure smells like one, lets have it. It seems the press goes after everybody with little regard for stepping on the feelings of family and

friends---you’ve got to, it’s your job. I’m not a Drudge wanna be , just a guy with, well, a jones and a hobby. I’m the political equivalent of a Cubs bleacher bum. I’m a spectator, a fan; I know the players, my stat book is the overpriced CQ’s "Politics in America." I’m a citizen in the cheap seats, and, like a baseball purist, I’m concerned about the state of the game. The events concerning Hume and Paxon reek fix. A lack of interest from the press is at least an error of omission, or should I begin to factor the D.C. press corp calls ‘em as they see ‘em unless the play involves home boys. Ya’ll Homers?

I know you’re busy. I presume too much. Could you remark about these events Sunday night on WGN, or if you feel that would be distasteful, reply to this briefly, telling me I’m right, wrong, na�ve, out of my league. Thanks for your time and go Bulls.

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