Originially registered as "Jefferson Spins" back in June 1998 because I was incensed at the then current attempt to simultaneously smear Thomas Jefferson--why, everybody *knew* he fathered several of Sally Hemmings' children--and explain away William Jefferson Clinton's contemptible and criminal behavior as "everybody lies about sex".

Though Thomas Jefferson refused to discuss the charges leveled by political journalist James T. Callender in 1802 (Mr. Jefferson's policy was to offer no public response to personal attacks), and though modern DNA technology indicates that the descendants of Sally Hemmings are indeed kin to Mr. Jefferson, my limited research into the matter leads me to conclude that Mr. Jefferson is the uncle or cousin, not the father.

My current login name, Two-Shoes, harkens back to a childhood nickname. I switched to this login name once it was clear that AlGore was not going to successfully steal the 2000 election from George W. Bush; I wanted to leave the Spin of the Clinton years behind me.

I am no longer (July, 2006) as active a lurker on FreeRepublic as I formerly was. As Karl Rove recently told the graduating students at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, "[the] American people are not policy wonks, but they have great instincts and try to do the right thing." He also said it is "wrong to underestimate the intelligence of the American voter, but easy to overestimate their interest. Much tugs at their attention."

In recent years, there has been much tugging at my attention, so Mr. Rove's words hit very close to home for me.

Moreover, a number of my loved-ones are lifelong Democrats...of the Harry S Truman and JFK type, not the Clinton kool-aid kind. Still, when push comes to shove, many of those whom I hold dearest will cast a ballot for the likes of John Kerry. Having said that, it would be unjust for me to fail to say that many of these very same loved ones accept, through grace, a great deal of (non-political) things about me that they don't like. Life is complicated.

If you are still reading this, I thank you for your time. Grace and Peace to you.

--Two-Shoes