This week, a dip into the old mailbag: Tim, a sophomore history major, writes:

“I just read about this correspondent at White House press briefings named Jeff Gannon who would ask the president really easy questions to make him look better. I wanted to ask you, since you’re such an amazingly brilliant and hilarious columnist, do you think someone can be made to look better just by the way someone else asks a question?”

I don’t see how. -AK

This from Stephanie, a senior in design:

“Thanks for writing such incredible columns all year. I just caught wind of this Gannon story. I heard that Gannon’s real name is James Guckert, and that although he published in Talon News, a right-wing news outlet, he was apparently also an X-rated homosexual escort with profiles on Web sites like hotmilitarystud.com. This led political humorist Bill Maher to wonder if that’s what President Bush meant when he said the election gave him a ‘man-date.’ In your enlightening opinion, is this what he meant?”

I don’t think so. – AK

From Bethany, a 98-year-old DeKalb resident:

“You’re the best columnist I’ve read in all my years. I heard that in order to get approved for a White House press pass, a journalist is screened through some pretty tough security measures and background checks. Doesn’t the fact that no one caught a guy using a fake name suggest either partisan bias or gross incompetence in the screening process? Thanks again for sharing your wonderful weekly thoughts with us.”

Yes, it would seem to. Oh, and you’re welcome. – AK

From Chastity, waitress at a local bar and grill:

“I only started reading your columns because of how stunningly handsome you are. Are you going to close out that tab soon, hon? Because I’m getting off work here in a minute.”

Right. Sorry. – AK

Mandy, a junior business major, writes:

“Back to this Gannon/Guckert thing. Your insightful columns are the main reason I read the Northern Star. Well, those and the comics. I’ve noticed the mainstream media has pretty much ignored this Gannon story. The story would never have died so easily if a closet gay escort ‘reporter’ had been lobbing softball questions to Bill Clinton that always made him look good. Will this finally dispel the myth of the ‘liberal media?’”

No chance. – AK

From Dave, NIU alumnus:

“I’ve been reading that the Bush White House has done all sorts of things like this: columnist Armstrong Williams was paid almost $250,000 (my taxes!) by the Department of Education to support the No Child Left Behind Act, and there had even been fake media reports promoting the administration’s prescription drug plan, which were later condemned by the Government Accountability Office as ‘covert propaganda.’ Shouldn’t Americans be worried – no, terrified – that their ‘free’ press can be so easily manipulated and subverted?”

What can I say? Maybe we’re a little too preoccupied with issues like SpongeBob Squarepants. – AK

From Kate, a freshman undecided:

“Reading your inspirational columns makes me want to go into journalism or English. Do you think answering planted questions allows the answerer to look modest, beloved, and wise, while smoothly avoiding the hard questions that should be asked of him?”

Shucks, I sure do appreciate all these nice e-mails. – AK

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.