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When 64-year-old Wallace McDonald went to vote four years ago, he ran up against an old ghost. In 1959, he'd been arrested for falling asleep on a bus stop bench, and even then--and even for a black man--that offense was a misdemeanor. But in Katherine Harris's Florida, it was enough to get his name on the felon purge list. The vote McDonald intended to cast in 2000, his contribution to America's destiny, was denied. About midway through this gawdawful campaign season, a friend told me a lady he goes to church with had learned we were friends and complained to him that my writing was full of hate. I have no way of knowing if she was referring to any specific article or everything I say. Does she read my stuff every week? Or did she happen to snag a stray BW on her way to the john and caught me on a bad day? I just don't know. My bet is, though, this lady was referring to things I've said about George W. Bush. It's been a common claim against Democrats that we hate him. I've even heard prominent Demo spokesmen--Paul Begala and James Carville for example--bend over backwards to say they regard Bush as a nice, likable guy, and that they merely disagree with his policies. Not me. I speak only for myself, but I don't regard him as nice and I can't fathom how anyone could find him likable. The church lady is right. I disagree with Bush's policies, obviously, but it's the man I hate. And I've been waiting almost four years to tell you now, on the brink of this election, why. [more

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