Here's a well-reasoned Saturday morning column from Stebbins Jefferson in today's PB Post:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2005/10/08/m12a_jeffersoncol_1008.html

I like columns like this, and others I've read recently, that stick to the relevant facts. I dislike criticisms that are all over the place, based on coarse cultural factors. This is why tv columnists generally don't write political columns, and vice versa.

If HM is not qualified based on her work, why would you bring up that she is single and childless, went to SMU way back when, doesn't apply makeup well, or wears too many baubles? There could be, and are, other reasons that she made these decisions. And please don't tell me you're highlighting these issues because you're expecting someone else will, so you want to beat them to the punch.

Accept responsibility for what you put out there. Stick to the professional qualifications please. Don't attack a person's personal choices or look to them to signal anything. That would be like voting for a president based on his looks. Not that people don't do that, it's just not something we should aspire to if we really care about the future of our country. Or is it too late to be caring about that?