Wrote my own little letter to the editor today. The local news/gossip-hounds wrote, in shock, that Ashcroft may be a future presidential contender. Here's my letter:

"In regards to your comments on the possibility of Ashcroft running for president, I ask why the shock? Even since elected to the Senate in 1994 he has been bandied about as a presidential hopeful. In the late 1990's he traveled the country as such, formed a national pac to collect money, and was the leading presidential contender for the conservative right-wing's vote in the Republican primaries.

The only reason he did not continue with his run for the 2000 presidential nomination was due to the announcement in late 1998 that the popular governor of Missouri, Democrat Mel Carnahan, would compete against him in 2000 for his Senate seat. This daunting challenge put a stop to his presidential hopes, as he knew he would need to concentrate on the Senate race. It is a testament to the voters of Missouri that they realized that Ashcroft was simply too far to the right and voted him out of office, even after his challenger died three weeks prior to the election. None of these events, however, have deterred his desire to run for the presidency. We should all plan on the inevitable presidential run by this man, especially as he is so dear to the right-wing of the Republican party."