Misplaced play for Carlin and Russert

Your garish worship of George Carlin by such a prominent placement of his picture (June 24) and falling-all-over-praise of him shows where your appreciation of true talent lies.

Carlin stopped being funny when he abandoned the "Al Sleet, the hippy-dippy weatherman" routines (which I greatly enjoyed) for crass political, disgusting, and potty-mouthed routines suitable for 2 a.m. night club audiences only.

While I avoided watching the left-wing toned "Meet the Press," you should have heaped your praise with a nice front-page layout for Tim Russert a week earlier (June 14) instead of a weak below-the-fold piece on him.

Tim's heart was in the right place and did more to cleverly dress-down dishonest politicians of both parties than 1,000 George Carlins could ever hope to do.

Tim's story is the ultimate "blue collar" success story of our time.

Nothing beats the story he tells in "Big Russ" about trying to buy his a Cadillac for his dad, who just wanted a good old Ford "cop car."

What were your front-page editors thinking in their misplaced treatment of these guys?

Dave Souders

Arlington Heights