TRAGIC PLANE CRASH LEAVES OUR AREA, STATE AND NATION POORER

It's clear that we in the greater Cape Girardeau area, the state of Missouri and the nation have lost one of our most productive and enterprising entrepreneurs with the tragic death of Jim Dodd. Mr. Dodd, founder of Motorcycle Stuff, died along with employee Rex Pettit in a plane crash Thursday morning in Pennsylvania, shortly after taking off for the return flight to Cape.

Although I know members of his family, I did not know Mr. Dodd personally, but rather became acquainted with him over the last few years by his reputation. That reputation was a good and strong one, the story of an enterprising man who knew his business and worked extremely hard to make it the success it has become. It was also the reputation of a kind and loving family man and good citizen.

He leaves behind many loving friends and family, business associates and employees, and a story of having achieved tremendous success through hard, honest work. He lived an exemplary life, one that will inspire many others to achievement and distinction. Our sympathies go out to all the Dodd family and to the family of Rex Pettit.

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As we move into the "dog days" toward the end of summer, a few random scenes from the recently concluded Democratic convention, from a convention floor covered with a sea of signs demanding "Lesbian Rights Now!" ....

From the Washington Post, July 15 issue:

"Herb Moses, Rep. Barney Frank's [D.-Mass.] longtime companion, was the only male at the congressional wives' tea for Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore Monday [July 13], and he was not happy that we left him out of our story. He was wearing the official little gold `spouse' pin. Asked by reporters how he would like to be identified, Moses said, `Lover is fine.'"

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New York Governor Mario Cuomo, who nominated Clinton, gave the Democratic nominee some unsolicited advice: Tell the people you're going to raise taxes. "I know Mondale said it and lost," Cuomo said on "Meet the Press," but Clinton could say it and win."

Seven times in his half-hour appearance, Cuomo talked about raising taxes and suggested that Clinton had assured him that he would. Noted the New York Daily News' Lars-Erik Nelson: "It was an extraordinary performance. Cuomo was kissing Clinton on both cheeks and shooting him in both kneecaps at the same time."

In the end, Clinton settled for a platform that promises a big hike in taxes, but only on "the rich."

Yeah, right.

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Not invited to the convention was former New York Mayor Ed Koch. That's because Democrat Koch, in his New York Post column, asks embarrassing questions such as this: "Will Americans support a party that has people in it like Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California, who defended the L.A. rioters as simply desperate mothers' stealing Pampers, or Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, who said they were not criminals but outraged citizens?"

Upon hearing New York labor leader Dennis Rivera define the Democratic Party's "core constituency" as Latinos, blacks, labor and the poor, Koch responded, "That's the core of the Democratic Party? What are the Irish, Italians, Jews and other ethnic whites chopped liver?"

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Finally, this little gem from a reliable Democratic source who should be in the know:

They're much more liberal underneath and will prove it when they're elected.

Former Sen. (and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee) George McGovern, speaking of the Clinton-Gore ticket during the Democratic national convention earlier this month. A young team of Bill Clinton and future wife Hillary Rodham managed McGovern's fall, '72 campaign in the state of Texas.